Centre unlikely to intervene in force-feeding incident

NEW DELHI: Home Ministry is unlikely to intervene in the case in which Shiv Sena MPs allegedly force- fed a Muslim employee who was observing Roza as no police complaint has been filed as yet over the episode. Maharashtra government has sent a preliminary report to Home Ministry on the basis of a factual note on the incident prepared by the state's Resident Commissioner.

"As no police complaint has been filed by the victim or anyone else, Home Ministry has very limited or no role. Unless there is a formal complaint, we can hardly do anything," a Home Ministry official said.

In the incident which reportedly took place last week, the Sena MPs allegedly barged into the canteen at New Maharashtra Sadan here upset over the quality of food and remonstrated with a person on the catering staff, who has been identified as Arshad Zubair.

Watched by his party colleagues, MP Rajan Vichare is said to have then allegedly tried to thrust a roti into Zubair's mouth. The shaken employee, who was observing Roza and had his name tag on his shirt, appeared in media footage to plead with the MP to not do it.

After the incident was reported in the media, there was a huge uproar in Parliament yesterday amidst demands for action against the Sena MPs allegedly involved in the incident.