Vijayvargiya bat assault case: Like father, like son

Indore: BJP MLA Akash Vijayvargiya, who was released on bail in an assault case Sunday, said he did not regret the incident but would try to follow Mahatma Gandhi's path of non-violence while raising public issues in future.

The first-time MLA from Indore III and the son of BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, was caught on camera assaulting municipal officer Dhirendra Singh Bais with a cricket bat on June 26 while opposing the demolition of a dilapidated house in Ganji Compound area of the city.

He was arrested four days ago and a Bhopal-based court on Saturday granted him bail. He walked out of the jail Sunday morning.

Like father, like son

Akash however, seems to be following in the footsteps of his father BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.

More than two decades ago, Kailash Vijayvargiya, known for his aggressive image, bashed up a senior police officer with a shoe outside the Mayor's house in Indore while protesting against the water crisis in the area.

Congress leader K.K. Mishra on Friday released a picture of the incident, which dates back to 1994. In the picture, Kailash Vijayvargiya was seen holding a shoe in front of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Pramod Phalnikar, who was then serving as the Mayor of Indore.

Gandhi's path of non-violence

Boasting about the episode, Akash Vijayvargiya told journalists: "In the BJP, we've been taught, 'pehle aavedan, phir nivedan aur phir danadan (first request and then attack)."

Akash said the step (of assaulting a civic official with cricket bat) was taken "thoughtfully and with full responsibility".

He, however, said that he prays to God that he does not have to repeat the act in future.

Talking to reporters after coming out of the jail here, the 34-year-old MLA said, "Let me tell you that the action we took on that day was taken thoughtfully and with full responsibility."

"A woman was being pulled by her legs in the presence of police. The poor and helpless family was being evacuated in the rainy season. Earth moving machines were pressed into service to demolish the house.

"I did what I felt right at that point of time. I did it thoughtfully. I do not have any regrets for that," he said.

"We will try to follow Gandhiji's path in future. I pray to God that I should not be given another opportunity to pick up the bat. I also appeal to all the youths that they should put forward their point of view by walking on Gandhiji's path of non-violence," Akash said.

Replying to a query on the incident, the legislator said, "Several thoughts were going on in my mind since the past few months... I had to take this step after much contemplation. This was unusual. We should always work with love and non-violence."

"We do not have any remorse about it (incident) because India is a democratic nation and public is supreme in a democracy," he stressed.

The BJP MLA also accused municipal officials of ignoring public representatives on legitimate issues related to common people.

"The officials forget that they get their salaries by taxes paid by the public from their hard-earned money. In a bid to please their seniors, the officers become so arrogant that they treat the public like insects, which cannot be tolerated by us," he added.