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Journalism of Courage
Rajbala Devi,who died nearly four months after battling injuries sustained in the Ramlila Maidan crackdown,was cremated on Tuesday at her native village Bhatana.
Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj,who arrived at Bhatana to offer condolence to the 52-year-olds family,said Rajbala was a martyr.
Addressing the people of Bhatana,Swaraj said: This is not a death,this is a murder of an innocent person. She became the victim of police oppression.
Her sacrifice will become a turning point to shake this government.
Yoga guru Ramdev,who cut short his Bharat Swabhiman Yatra and arrived here from Kanpur to pay his last respects to his follower,also described Rajbala as a martyr.
He questioned the absence of any government official or minister at the cremation of Rajbala and said,Where is Chidambaram? No one from the government visited her at the hospital in these four months. He announced that 624 districts of the country will hold condolence meetings in honour of Rajbala.
Sushma extended her support to Ramdevs yatra calling it a cause for the nation and said the UPA government was going after Ramdev and (his aide) Balkrishan with all their might.
INLD leader and former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and BJP leader Smriti Irani were also present at Bhatana. Chautala demanded a detailed inquiry into Rajbala’s death.
Poonam,who claimed she was with Rajbala on the night of June 4 when the police removed the gathering led by Ramdev from the Ramlila Maidan,said she was holding her hand as they were trying to escape. We were holding hands and suddenly a police baton hit her on the back, said Poonam. Rajbalas family alleges the same but the police claim that she was hurt in the stampede.
