Malhotra writes to Speaker on illtreatment of BJP leaders in jail

New Delhi, Apr 12 (UNI) Senior BJP leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra today alleged that party leaders arrested during the 'Jail Bharo Andolan' were being ill treated in Tihar jail.

In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, sent through the Superintendent of Tihar Jail, Mr Malhotra alleged that the BJP leaders arrested during the 'Jail Bharo Andolan', in protest against the sealing of shops in residential areas in the capital, were being kept along with other prisoners who are under trial or undergoing punishment.

Mr Malhotra, along with 220 BJP activists, courted arrest at Karol Bagh against the sealing of shops.

''These leaders are being ill treated. These prisoners are being kept like animals in tiny cells of the jail. The criminals and political prisoners are being kept in the same cells and no newspaper is being provided to them,'' Mr Malhotra said in the letter.

''Undertrial prisoners are being kept in small cells where there is a 4 Ft by 5 ft toilet. Three prisoners are being kept together in the remaining cell of 8-5 ft and provided sleeping facilities in a well lit cell. These prisoners are being kept in the cell for the whole day and for a little while they are brought out.

The food being provided is also of cheap quality,'' Mr Malhotra said.

Terming the "miserable" conditions being meted out to the prisoners as violation of their human rights, Mr Malhotra said he would lodge a complaint in the matter to the Human Rights Commission.

He also warned that he would file a case against Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit since she is also the jail minister.

UNI AR YA BST1934