Chhattisgarh CM’s Father In Jail Over Remark About Brahmins
The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel’s father Nand Kumar Baghel has been arrested. He has been sent to 15 days in custody by a court in Raipur. The allegations against him are that of making derogatory remarks against the Brahmin community. The Chief Minister stressed that for his government, no one was above the law.
“Nobody is above the law in my government, even if he is the Chief Minister’s 86-year-old father. As Chief Minister, I have the responsibility to maintain harmony among different communities. If he made a remark against a community, I am sorry. Legal action will be taken,” Bhupesh Baghel said.
“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.”
Baghel’s father, on his recent visit to UP, had controversially called for a “boycott” of Brahmins. He described them as foreigners and also requested people not to let them into their village.
“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.
An FIR was lodged in Raipur on the complaint of the Sarv Brahmin Samaj against Baghel senior on Saturday night. The charges on the complaint include “promoting enmity between groups”.
For Mr Baghel, the family drama comes days after he apparently triumphed over his minister and in-house rival TK Singh Deo. Deo had staked claim to his job saying he had been assured of a rotational arrangement for Chief Ministership. Mr Baghel’s half term was done, Mr Singh Deo had asserted.
