MP Congress MLA tells supporters to cut hands of those who talk about vote division

Jhabua: A Congress MLA was captured on video purportedly asking his supporters to chop off the hands of those who talk about dividing votes during Lok Sabha elections in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh.

The legislator, Veer Singh Bhuria, also purportedly termed the Bhilala community as 'Chor and Daku' (thieves and dacoits) while targeting Anita Chouham, the BJP candidate from the Ratlam Lok Sabha constituency.

Later speaking to PTI, he denied making any objectionable remark and disconnected the phone.

Reacting to the MLA's remarks captured in a video circulating on social media, Anita Chouhan's husband and Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Nagar Singh Chouhan said he would lodge an FIR.

As his remarks caused a furore, the MLA later said he respects all communities but refused to answer a query on the 'chop off hands' remark.

Veer Singh Bhuria was addressing villagers while campaigning for Congress nominee for Ratlam Jhabua seat, Kantilal Bhuria, at Madrani village, some 25 km away from Jhabua on Tuesday.

Kantilal Bhuria, a former Union minister, was also present on the occasion.

The Ratlam constituency is reserved for scheduled tribe candidates.

"If someone tries to scare you in any village, inform us even at midnight. We 500 people will stand there and fix it. Take a pledge that we have to win elections with great power," Veer Singh Bhuria said.

"If someone talks about......cutting votes and JAYS (Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti Sangathan), then chop off their hands, don't spare them. Treat them in such a manner, only then they will recognise you," he said.

JAYS is a tribal organisation which has pockets of influence in tribal-dominated areas of Western MP.

Veer Singh Bhuria further said that nobody knows about the BJP's candidate (Anita Chouhan).

"They are Bhilalas (a tribal community). These people are Daku-Chor. They are from Alirajpur (constituency). Nobody knows her (the BJP candidate) but Bhuria ji (Congress' Lok Sabha candidate) was a former MLA and MP. He also held the post of Union minister," the Congress MLA said.

He also appealed to men who attended the gathering to ask their wives to no walk into the 'Ladli Behna Yojana trap'- the flagship scheme of the Madhya Pradesh government under which the state government gives an amount of Rs 1250 each to the eligible women.

When contacted after the video surfaced on social media, Veer Singh Bhuria told PTI that all communities are united and they express their own ideology in elections.

"I don't want to say anything that hurts anybody," he said and denied making any objectionable comment.

Asked about the 'chop off the hands' remarks, Bhuria disconnected the phone.

On the other hand, Forest Minister Nagar Singh Chouhan alleged the Congress MLA had insulted the Bhilala community and that he would lodge an FIR against him.

"Congress leaders are making such statements in desperation after losing ground in this Lok Sabha seat (Ratlam-Jhabua)," he added.