C’garh police book CM Baghel’s father

Raipur police have registered a case against Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s father Nand Kumar Baghel for allegedly making derogatory comments against a community, an official said on Sunday.

After a controversy erupted over the alleged remarks of his father, the chief minister said he was pained by such comments and asserted that nobody was above the law in his government and Chhattisgarh police will take an appropriate action in the matter.

Following a complaint filed by the ‘Sarv Brahmin Samaj’, the D D Nagar police here registered an FIR late Saturday night against Nand Kumar Baghel (86), the official said.

The case was registered under Indian Penal Code Sections 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), he said.

The outfit in its complaint alleged that the CM’S father recently appealed to people to boycott Brahmins by terming them as foreigners, and also asked people to not let them enter their villages, the official said.

It also accused Nand Kumar Baghel of asking people to “evict”

ABrahmins out of the country, he said.

In the past also, the CM’S father had allegedly made derogatory comments against Lord Ram, the official said quoting the complaint.

The outfit also said a video of the purported comments of the CM’S father was available on social media platforms, the official added.

According to police, Nand Kumar Baghel reportedly made the remarks while addressing an event in Uttar Pradesh recently.

Meanwhile, chief minister Bhupesh Baghel in a statement said his father’s comments have come to his notice and he is pained by it.

“The remarks made by my father Nand Kumar Baghel against a specific class have come to my attention. The comments have hurt the sentiments of the class as well as social harmony and I am also pained by it,” the CM was quoted as saying in a release issued by the state public relations department.

The CM also said that through social media and other forms, he has learnt it is b said that action against N Kumar Baghel will not be ta because he is father of the c minister.

“Every person is equal be my government,” he said.

“Everyone knows about ideological differences with father. Our political thou and beliefs are very much di ent. I respect him as his son as the CM, I cannot forgive for such mistakes which dis the public order,” he added

“Nobody is above the la my government even if he i chief minister’s 86-year father,” the CM said, adding an appropriate legal action be ensured by police in regard.

He said the Chhattisgarh ernment respects every relig caste and community and t sentiments, and gives e importance to everyone.

“It is our duty to protect dignity and constitutional ri of everyone. Law is suprem us,” the chief minister asse