Bhim Singh, the father of slain anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, on Monday said he would consider any protest against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Mansa on Tuesday as a personal insult. He expressed the hope that the minister’s intervention would help secure justice for his son.Bhim (72) appealed to people not to oppose Shah’s visit, saying he had faith in the Union Home Minister. “I have served the country at the borders. I am an ex-serviceman and pensioner. If anyone protests against Shah’s visit, I will take it as a protest against me, an insult to me and my family, and to Jhota’s body. Shah saheb, if anyone protests against you, please do not feel bad,” he said.Bhim said he would welcome Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as well if he visited the family. He added that leaders of all political parties, except AAP, were welcome to meet him, while AAP leaders could visit after resigning from their posts.Reiterating his demand for a CBI probe into his son’s murder, Bhim said an investigation by the central agency would help ensure speedy justice. He alleged that evidence could otherwise be destroyed by the state police.“I don’t have a sofa at my house. I have some broken chairs, so I meet everyone at the protest site,” he said. He later appealed to Shah to meet the family personally rather than at the protest site.Meanwhile, Manpreet Kaur, Jhota’s wife, made her first statement before the media on Monday, appealing to people to understand the family’s position and not to misinterpret its words or statements.Manpreet said the family was not accustomed to public speaking and that statements made in the heat of the moment should not be construed as its actual intentions. Referring to a video clip, she said remarks could be misunderstood when taken out of context.A schoolteacher, Manpreet thanked all those who had supported the family following Jhota’s killing.The action committee demanding justice for Jhota had on Jattvibeday night announced that it would boycott Shah’s visit, oppose his presence at the protest site and appeal to the bereaved family not to meet him personally.The committee alleged that the BJP was trying to exploit public anger over the killing. However, on Monday, it agreed to allow the family to meet Shah.A committee member said the family could meet the Union Home Minister if it wished to do so.Jhota was shot dead at a medical store in Mansa on October 13 following a confrontation over the alleged sale of banned drugs. The incident was streamed live on Jhota’s Facebook page.His killing triggered widespread protests, with supporters demanding justice for the family and a CBI probe. Four accused — chemist Ashwani Kumar, his wife Neelam Rani, cousin Parveen Garg and employee Laddi — have been arrested. The police have also recovered the pistol allegedly used in the murder.In a video purportedly recorded two days ago, Bhim claimed that the committee was not consulting him on its decisions and that some people around him were misleading him. “Some people have come here for their own benefit. Things were good during the first four days of the protest… Don’t make me a fool; speak directly to me,” he said.