Chhattisgarh CM’s father sent to judicial custody over hate speech against Brahmins

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s father, Nand Kumar Baghel, was on Tuesday sent to 15-day judicial custody by a Raipur court for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Brahmins.

A police officer said the 86-year-old was booked last week for allegedly saying that Brahmins should be boycotted.

According to officials, a case for promoting enmity between different groups was registered against the CM’s father on the complaint of the Sarv Brahmin Samaj. 

“A 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 the public, or to any section of public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against public tranquillity) against Nand Kumar Baghel (86),” Ajay Yadav, a senior police official, said on Saturday.

The Sarv Brahmin Samaj filed the complaint saying Baghel had urged people to “boycott Brahmins” and termed them “foreigners” during an event in Uttar Pradesh.

Following his father’s arrest, the CM said: “Nobody is above the law in my government even if he is the chief minister’s 86-year-old father.”

“Every person is equal before my government. Everyone knows about my ideological differences with my father. Our political thoughts and beliefs are different. I honour him as his son but as a CM I cannot forgive him for such statements, which disturb public order,” he said.