Facing resentment among tribals over urination case, MLA's son brings more trouble for BJP in MP

While the ruling BJP, especially Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has been trying all possible ways to regain the faith of tribals in Madhya Pradesh after the urination case, party’s sitting MLA Ramlallu Vaish’s son has spoiled the efforts and has given ample opportunity to the opposition to corner the ruling side.

BJP MLA Ramlallu Vaish’s son, Vivek, opened fire on a tribal youth, Surya Khairbar following a verbal argument in Singrauli, the hub of coal mines in the state. The victim received a bullet injury on his right hand and was treated ata  hospital on Thursday night, police said. 

The incident has occurred in Singrauli which is located around 120 km from Sidhi district where a BJP MLA Kedarnath Shukla’s ‘vidhayak pratinidhi’ (representative) Pravesh Shukla’s video showing him urinating on a tribal man Dashmat Rawat surfaced on social media in July. 

Sidhi district administration and police brought the Dashmat Rawat to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s residence in Bhopal. CM Chouhan not only washed Rawat’s feet but did breakfast with him and also planted a sapling with him. The police invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against accused Pravesh Shukla, and his parent’s house was razed within next 48 hours of the video going viral.

However, the questions were raised on Sidhi district administration and police as to why the same action wasn’t initiated against the person who recorded the video and made it viral on social media. Sources told IANS that the police had then detained Deepnarayan Sahu, the person who had recorded the said controversial video and he was booked under IT Act. But, the person, who suploaded that video on social media is said to be a Sidhi-based doctor who wasn't questioned.

Now, the people have started demanding strict action against BJP MLA Ramallu’s son Vivek and have questioned the silence of the BJP leadership on this issue. A local BJP leader told IANS that Vaish was involved in illegal coal supply and wood smuggling, and uses his father’s influence and takes the help of powerful people in Singrauli.

“The fire incident came to light because there were many people at the spot at that time. Vivek would often create terror among the tribal and beat them whenever he wished to and no one would stop him. He has a strong nexus, which has been involved in illegal coal mining and wood smuggling. Even if he gets arrested, his father would use his power to get him out of jail and this has been happening for the last several years,” a Singrauli-based BJP leader said.

Responding to the incident, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath hit out at the BJP saying that “tribals are being attacked” regularly in Madhya Pradesh. He claimed that the BJP leaders were indulging in harassment of the tribal community.

“I want to know from the Chief Minister whether the only work left for the BJP leaders is to harass tribals, Dalits, women and people of all communities. Far from curbing such crimes, you are seeing the promotion of criminals happening. Recently, you have made it clear how fast you are progressing in the campaign of forming a criminal BJP by including the person convicted for running a sex racket from Harda in the BJP,” said Kamal Nath.