On Tuesday, the father of Chhattisgarh’s CM was arrested over his remarks on Brahmin after receiving massive backlash from the Brahmin community. 86-year-old Nand Kumar Baghel is the father of the current Chhattisgarh CM, Bhupesh Baghel. He instantly was in the center of a controversial storm when he made certain remarks against the Brahmin community.
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Every once in a while, certain Chief Ministers across India, are found guilty of making a remark over a community, race, or sex, that comes back and bites them back.
Who can forget Uttarakhand CM Tirath Singh Rawat’s comment on women wearing ripped jeans. Or, the recent Goan Chief Minister’s comment on rape survivors. Or Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan claiming that the COVID is just like a regular flu if detected early.
Recently, not a chief minister, but his father stirred up controversy as he made some derogatory comments on an Indian community. We are talking about the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister’s father Nand Kumar Baghel.
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What Did the Senior Baghel Say about Brahmins?
The father of the 60-year-old Chief Minister’s father was part of a major media hysteria after his statements against the Brahmin community came. In one of his interviews, Nand Kumar Baghel had invoked villagers across the nation to not let people from Brahmin community entire into their villages. Baghel further said how the Brahmin community must be sent back to the Volga River bank.
FIR Filed by Police, Baghel Accused of Promoting Enmity
On his clearly problematic remarks, a complaint was filed by a Brahmin welfare group called Sarv Brahmin Samaj. Soon, the senior Baghel was charged by police under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code.
This included, Section 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), and Section 501 (1)(b) (with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public).
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Senior Baghel Arrested, 15-Day Jail Custody
A few days after the complaint was filed, senior Baghel was arrested by the police on September 7. According to an ANI tweet, “He (Nand Kumar Baghel) has been sent in judicial custody. He will be presented before the court again on September 21. As per his instructions, I didn’t file an application for his bail today.” Further, the CM’s father will be in custody for a 15-day period, before the case moves ahead.
#UPDATE | Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel’s father Nand Kumar Baghel has been sent to 15-day judicial custody by a court in Raipur for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Brahmin community, says Nand Kumar's lawyer Gajendra Sonkar https://t.co/CWWR5zWal3
— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2021
He (Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel’s father Nand Kumar Baghel) has been sent to judicial custody. He will be presented before the court again on September 21. As per his instructions, I didn't file application for his bail today: Nand Kumar's lawyer Gajendra Sonkar in Raipur pic.twitter.com/SbwHMJ4IdM
— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2021
CM Baghel’s Own Statement About His Father
It should be noted that after his father received flak on social media on his remarks, CM Bhupesh Baghel himself took to Twitter to issue a statement. In his statement, CM Baghel said how the he and his father do not see eye-to-eye on political views. He further added that he would not be giving his father a pass for his ‘mistake’.
“As a son, I respect my father, but as a chief minister, none of his mistakes can be overlooked which disturbs the public order. No one is above the law in our government, even if he is the chief minister’s father,” Mr. Baghel’s tweet read.
एक पुत्र के रूप में मैं अपने पिता जी का सम्मान करता हूँ लेकिन एक मुख्यमंत्री के रूप में उनकी किसी भी ऐसी गलती को अनदेखा नहीं किया जा सकता जो सार्वजनिक व्यवस्था को बिगाड़ने वाली हो।
हमारी सरकार में कोई भी कानून से ऊपर नहीं है फिर चाहे वो मुख्यमंत्री के पिता ही क्यों न हों।
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) September 5, 2021
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Nand Kumar Baghel’s Previous Problematic Acts
It should be noted that the senior Baghel’s outlook on Brahmin came to light the first time in 2001. Back in 2001, Nang Kumar Baghel wrote a book titled – “Brahman Kumar, Ravan Ko Mat Maro”. The senior Baghel had instantly been arrested by the police for inciting communal trouble. Further, the book’s sale in the state was also banned.
Back in 2019, the senior Baghel was panned widely for accusing the Brahmin community that made to the top rungs of the society by “cheating”.