Bhopal: “Whoever it may be, whoever's son he may be... such arrogance, misbehaviour cannot be tolerated. Action should be taken against them. Manmaani nahi chalegi," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in a stern message after senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya's MLA son assaulted a government official in Madhya Pradesh.
But, will first-time MLA Akash Vijayvargiya face action in the saffron party. Considering his father's clout in BJP, it's highly unlikely. Crude display of power by BJP leaders is nothing new in Madhya Pradesh. Even Akash's father Kailash Vijayvargiya is known to throw his weight around in party circles and sophistication in speeches is not his strong point.
Akash's act in Indore and two more leaders from the party elsewhere in Madhya Pradesh last week raised a barrage of questions. Their conduct – images of Akash beating Indore civic body officials with a cricket bat and blood coursing down the face of chief municipal officer in Satna district on TV and social media – drew flak from several quarters. The in-your-face attitude of saffron party leaders obviously punched holes in outfit biggies’ claims that theirs is a party with a difference.
The silence of party leaders in the aftermath of three incidents across Madhya Pradesh — Malwa, Baghelkhand and Bundelkhand – baffled many, prompting others to question if the young leaders of the BJP are unable to digest loss of power in the state and bristling at their inability to make officials and administration bow to their wishes.
On Tuesday, political temperature rose in the state after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his strong disapproval of such a conduct without naming Akash. The party MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy told scribes in Delhi the same day that the PM conveyed a clear message to all party members that such behaviour is not acceptable.
Welcoming Modi’s remark, state Congress spokesperson K K Mishra said, “It is a commendable initiative from the PM. It should be taken in right spirit by all parties. But his words should reflect in action. It should not be limited to instructions and sermons. Action should be taken against those who shield such elements.”
Words from the prime minister at the party parliamentary meeting appear to have come like a bolt from the blue for the BJP leaders from the state. Attempts to elicit their response and likely action against the bat-wielding leader saw many of them ducking the issue. Asked for his reaction, Rajnessh Agrawal, state BJP spokesperson, said “I saw Rudy’s statement but as I had not talked to state BJP chief Rakesh Singh so I am not in a position to talk on the issue.”
Now, leaders cutting across party lines are watching if decision makers in the party will take a cue and take disciplinary action for ugly and brute display of power from the public representative.
First-time MLA Akash Vijayvargiya, who was released on bail in Bhopal after his arrest in Indore, said he did not regret whatever happened. By the way, Akash sort of defended his action, saying “Our line of action is Aavedan, nivedan phir danadan.”
Clearly not amused over the unseemly spectacle, Hitesh, a student said, “The BJP leaders make fun of Congress and its leaders calling it a party of dynasts. Firing in air after release of Akash on bail from jail by his supporters shows it is no different from the Congress.”
His father, party’s general secretary Kailash Vijayavargiya, however, tried to downplay the incident describing his son as a novice.
Two days after Indore incident, municipal council president Ram Sushil Patel and his supporters assaulted Devratnam Soni, officiating Chief Municipal Officer (CMO) of Ram Nagar in Satna district in his office. Soni sustained severe injuries on his head and Patel was arrested. The accused, who is from the BJP, is on Economic Offence Wing and Lokayukta radar, for alleged financial irregularities in official purchases. Authorities from Bhopal and Rewa sought records about the accused. Aware that he was in for trouble, the latter was reportedly mounting pressure on the CMO to fudge facts, sources said. When the CMO refused to play ball with him, the accused and his supporters assaulted him with sticks. Sources say he enjoys the patronage of a BJP MLA and a party MP from the region.
A day before this chilling incident, BJYM vice-president Vivek Agrawal went around municipality office corridors at Damoh in Bundelkhand region, wielding a bat, threatening civic body officials to face his ire if they acted irresponsibly in matters related to people and their welfare.
