RAIPUR: Tweeting a BJP campaign poster for the Bhanupratappur bypoll, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday accused the saffron camp of insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi by putting his picture next to BJP candidate Brahmanand Netam’s, who is accused in a Pocso case in Jharkhand.
The chief minister told reporters in Raipur that he appeals to the BJP high command to stop supporting and defending Netam.
“The BJP is insulting its own leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by putting his picture on a poster with BJP candidate Brahmanand Netam who is allegedly accused in a rape case of minor girl. BJP made him an election candidate despite his alleged involvement in the crime. I would like to tell the BJP high command that it would be better if it withdraws its support to Netam,” Baghel said.
A Jharkhand police team has been in Kanker for three days, looking to arrest Netam, two party colleagues, and a suspended policeman in connection with the case.
The Jharkhand cops handed a summons at Netam’s home for him to appear before police, but he didn’t. Instead, a BJP delegation, led by an MLA and Netam’s election agent, turned up to say he was busy campaigning and would cooperate only after counting of votes on December 8. Several senior BJP leaders have spoken up his defence, alleging a conspiracy by the Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments.
“The BJP high command, right from the national to state level, is standing in Netam’s support. Netam should withdraw on his own. It doesn’t look good to see BJP standing with the rapist,” the CM said.
Reacting to his statement, former chief minister Raman Singh said, “Bhupesh Ji, you too are an accused in a serious offence of circulating a sleaze CD case. Despite that, why are your pictures there on the posters with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi?”
Another BJP leader Ajay Chandrakar alleged that it was a conspiracy of Bhupesh Baghel and Congress state chief Mohan Markam to defame the BJP candidate in the run-up to an election. “This is an indication that Congress has already conceded moral defeat,” he added.
