Dasehra Fair contractor makes suicide bid, accuses MLA of seeking Rs 10L bribe

Daresi Dasehra Fair contractor allegedly attempted suicide by pouring petrol over himself on Saturday, accusing Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from the Central constituency Ashok Parashar Pappi of demanding Rs 10 lakh as bribe to run the fair.

Contractor’s supporters intervened and prevented him from setting himself ablaze. Following the incident, the fair was shut down.

The contractor, Ashok Kumar, also removed his shirt and staged a protest against the MLA.

He said, “I have got the contract for the Daresi Dasehra Fair. MLA Ashok Parashar Pappi has been harassing me for the past eight days. I am being told daily to pay Rs 10 lakh if I want to run the fair. I was called to his office and humiliated. As I belong to the Dalit community, the MLA even used casteist slurs against me.”

“I have been taking the contract of the Daresi fair for years but have never faced any such issue. AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal is honest but his MLA is corrupt. The MLA is also sending policemen to close shops as a tactic to extort money from me,” the contractor alleged.

The victim claimed that last year the MLA’s own people ran the fair and there were no problems. “But this time, since I got the contract, he is demanding money. Members of the Daresi Mela Committee had taken Rs 1 crore for the fair and have now backed out. I even went to the Municipal Commissioner but he said they could not do anything in the matter,” he added.

“On Saturday, I was upset with the MLA and was about to die by suicide by pouring petrol on myself. Now, if he continues to harass me till Monday, I will end my life. I am not afraid of anyone and will not give any kind of bribe to the MLA. I myself have worked by taking money on interest,” the contractor said.

Responding to the allegations, the MLA told mediapersons: “I am being defamed for political reasons. The fair’s contractor only has the ground but he has set up shops right up to the road. Any accident at the fair could cause significant damages. If I have asked money from anybody, give me proof regarding the same.”