Madhya Pradesh CM slams Congress' Digvijaya Singh over Khargone violence

Violence broke out in Khargone on Sunday evening as a Ram Navami procession made its way past a mosque. According to the police, vehicles and shops and at least a dozen houses were burnt and 27 people sustained injuries.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan hit back at senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Thursday over his criticism of the state government's actions in connection with the violence in Khargone district. Addressing an event in Bhopal on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, Chouhan said, "Houses of poor people and scheduled castes were burnt in Khargone. Shouldn't action be taken against the miscreants?"

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan (left) said that Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh (right) wanted to set Madhya Pradesh on fire. 

"Digvijaya Singh has a problem with the action taken," he declared.

Chouhan also accused the former chief minister of sharing fake photographs - showing men waving saffron flags outside a mosque while another plants one on the building - on social media and said that Singh wanted 'to set Madhya Pradesh on fire'.

"No one from any religion or community has to worry. The government will take care of your safety and honour. But yes, action will be taken against those who create disturbance. And Digvijaya Singh will not be able to save such people," Chouhan declared.

"Celebrate all festivals with fervour and the government is with everyone," he said and added that the government will rebuild houses burnt during the violence in Khargone.

Earlier Digvijaya Singh said the violence was a failure on the part of the ruling party and claimed communal tension was the biggest weapon in Chouhan's BJP-led government.

"It should be investigated where the stones came from? Who pelted it? Why was the route changed? Stone pelting at five places at the same time should all be investigated," he said.

On Tuesday, police registered a FIR against Singh for allegedly conspiring to instigate communal violence by posting misleading tweets.

The FIR was filed on the basis of a complaint by a Bhopal resident.

Violence broke out in Khargone on Sunday evening as a Ram Navami procession made its way past a mosque. According to the police, vehicles and shops and at least a dozen houses were burnt and 27 people sustained injuries. More than 120 people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The state controversially ordered the demolition of houses linked to the accused.

A curfew has been imposed in Khargone since Sunday evening and was relaxed for two hours on Thursday, allowing only women to step out to purchase essential items, news agency PTI reported.