Chhattisgarh CM’s father arrested, sent to 15-day judicial custody over hate speech against Brahmins

Chhattisgarh CM’s father Nand Kumar Baghel urged people to “boycott Brahmins” and termed them “foreigners” during an event in Uttar Pradesh, the Sarv Brahmin Samaj has alleged.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel's father, Nand Kumar Baghel, was on Tuesday sent to 15-day judicial custody by a local court in Raipur for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Brahmin community, superintendent of police Prashant Agarwal said. Agarwal said he was produced in a court and sent to jail. The 86-year-old Nand Kumar Baghel was booked last week for allegedly saying that Brahmins should be boycotted.

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's father was booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code.  (ANI Photo)

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 lodged the complaint against Chhattisgarh CM’s father, saying Nand Kumar Baghel urged people to “boycott Brahmins” and termed them “foreigners” during an event in Uttar Pradesh.

The chief minister said that “nobody is above the law” after his father was booked. “Nobody is above the law in my government even if he is the chief minister’s 86-year-old father,” Bhupesh Bhagel said.

“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 in a statement.