Kanshi Ram, Mayavati

New Delhi, May 25 (PTI): Kanshi Ram’s mother and brothers have alleged lack of access to the ailing Bahujan Samaj Party leader in a petition to Delhi High Court, which issued notices even as the party denied the charge.

In the petition filed through counsel Vikas Sharma, Kanshi Ram’s mother Bishan Kaur and brothers Harbans and Dalbara Singh alleged that he was “being kept as a virtual prisoner” and sought access to the leader.

The petition also said that the three came to the capital 10 times in the last eight months but were unable to have free access to Kanshi Ram.

Dismissing as “totally false and baseless” the charge that Kanshi Ram was being kept a “virtual prisoner” by BSP chief Mayavati, the party regretted that the accusations were being made by family members of the the organisation’s founder.

“It is unfortunate that family members of Kanshi Ram are playing into the hands of some vested interests which are inimical to the BSP,” Mahesh Chand, the party secretary, said in a press release.

Justice B.. Chaturvedi issued the notices to the Union ministries of home and health and family welfare, the city police chief, the Batra Hospital medical superintendent and the Rajya Sabha secretary. The judge directed the superintendent of the hospital, where Kanshi Ram has been undergoing treatment for eight months, to be present on May 31, the next date of hearing.

The petitioners, seeking the court’s intervention, expressed the apprehension that “Kanshi Ram is being illegally detained and is not allowed to move and have treatment at a place of his own choice”.

They also claimed to have learnt that “Kanshi Ram made an attempt to leave the hospital but was put under sedatives. The effort is to keep him away from his family circles as also other social circles”.

Recalling their last visit to the BSP leader on April 24, the family said Kanshi Ram needed “emotional support”, which could be provided by none other than his mother.

Kanshi Ram’s aged mother and brothers also alleged that on their last visit they were told not to make further attempts to meet him. On May 21, the hospital staff and security personnel are said to have prevented them from meeting him.

Chand emphasised that Kanshi Ram was not living at Mayavati’s home and said the BSP founder was admitted to Batra Hospital here in September last year, where he underwent an open-heart surgery yesterday and was now in the intensive care unit.

His condition, Chand said, was stable and he was making progress. Kanshi Ram’s mother and brothers also expressed fear that there would be a move to take him out of the country on the pretext of giving better treatment.

The petitioners claimed they had been receiving threatening calls at Khauaspur village in Ropar district of Punjab.

Mayavati, Chand said, was making available the best possible treatment to Kanshi Ram. So far, Rs 35 lakh had been spent on the treatment of the BSP leader who was suffering from blood pressure, diabetes, neuropathy and coronary artery disease, he said.