Case against Chhattisgarh CM Baghel's father for alleged derogatory remarks against Brahmins

The CM got into swift damage control with a realisation that the remarks, coming ahead of UP polls, could be a spoiler

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's father Nand Kumar Baghel landed Congress and its government in the state in a row with alleged derogatory comments against the Brahmin community, which led to the registration of a police case against him and an embarrassed CM pleading "sorry" and promising "legal action" against his father.

The Chief Minister got into swift damage control with a realisation that the remarks coming ahead of UP polls, where the party has been wooing Brahmins, could be a spoiler. Besides, Chhattisgarh itself has a substantial Brahmin population, which had thrown important leaders Vidyacharan Shukla, Shyamacharan Shukla and Motilal Vora from Congress in the past.

"I as a son respect my father but such a mistake by him cannot be ignored, which can spoil public order. Nobody is above the law in a government, even if he is the father of the Chief Minister. As CM, I have the responsibility to maintain harmony among different communities. If he made a remark against a community, I feel sorry. Legal action would be taken against him," the Chief Minister, who is a prominent leader from the OBC community, promised.

Baghel said he was "saddened and pained" by his father's statement, who had allegedly called Brahmins "foreigners" and appealed to people to "boycott" them and prevent their entry into their villages. The police complaint lodged by a group 'Sarv Brahmin Samaj' also alleged that Nand Kumar Baghel was asking people to evict Brahmins out of the country.

The police registered FIR against the 86-year old father of the Chief Minister on Saturday night under sections of 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) and 505(1)(b) (with intent to cause, or likely to cause, fear or alarm to public, or to any section of public whereby any person may be induced to commit offence against the state or against public tranquility) of IPC.

"Every person is equal before my government. Everyone knows about my ideological differences with my father. Our political thoughts and beliefs are very much different," the Chief Minister said in the backdrop of some from the Opposition camp attacking him, saying how he can handle the state if he cannot handle his father, and asking for his resignation.

There were mixed reactions on social media. The CM emphasised that his government respects every religion, caste and community and their sentiments, and gives equal importance to everyone.