Chhattisgarh CM’s father arrested for remark on Brahmins, sent to 15-day judicial custody
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s father Nand Kumar Baghel was arrested today and has been sent to 15-day judicial custody by a court in Raipur for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Brahmin community.
His lawyer said he did not request bail and would appear before a court on September 21. He has been arrested in Raipur. After the remarks made against the Brahmin society, an FIR was registered against him.
“Nobody is above the law before my government, even if he is the Chief Minister’s 86-year-old father. After his father was charged last week, the Chief Minister had stressed that he would get no special treatment.
As CM my responsibility is to maintain harmony among different communities. If he made a remark against a community, I am sorry. Legal action will be taken,” Bhupesh Baghel had told reporters on Sunday.
The complaint was filed by the Brahmin community against him at DD Nagar Police Station in Raipur. In the complaint, the community alleged that Nand Kumar Baghel described Brahmins as “outsiders (foreigners) who should either reform or get ready to go to Volga from Ganga”.
“Everyone knows about my ideological differences with my father. Our political thoughts and beliefs are different. I respect him as his son, but as Chief Minister, I cannot forgive him for such mistakes which disturb public order.” Mr Baghel also underlined that the Chhattisgarh government “respects every religion, caste and community and their sentiment”. He emphasized his point on Twitter.
During a recent visit to Uttar Pradesh, Mr Baghel’s father, who heads a group for voter awareness and is a prominent OBC voice, had controversially called for a “boycott” of Brahmins and, describing them as foreigners, had urged people not to let them into their villages. “Brahmins will be sent from the river Ganga to Volga. They are foreigners. They consider us untouchables and are snatching all our rights. I will urge villagers to not let Brahmins enter their village,” Nand Kumar Baghel had said. He is known for his anti-upper caste views and his book on the theme was banned in 2000 by the Congress government at the time.
As the video of the comments emerged, an FIR was registered in Raipur on the complaint of the Sarv Brahmin Samaj against Baghel senior on Saturday night. The charges on the complaint included “promoting enmity between groups”. Chhattisgarh’s opposition BJP pressed the Chief Minister to act, suggesting “VIP treatment”. Sources say his arrest in Raipur preempts any trouble for Mr Baghel in poll-bound UP, where the community had urged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take action.
For Mr Baghel, the family drama comes days after he apparently triumphed over his in-house rival TK Singh Deo, who had laid claim to his job saying he had been assured by the Congress leadership of rotational Chief Minister ship. Mr Baghel’s half-term was done, Mr Singh Deo had asserted, and it was his turn. The feud threatened to snowball for the Congress as both leaders rushed to Delhi for meetings.
(With Media Reports).
