MP CM Chouhan silences critics, says don't politicise security guard's sacrifice

Launching a scathing attack on the opposition over the Bhopal encounter, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said some leaders are doing vote bank politics which is highly condemnable, adding that one must refrain from doing so.

"He tried to stop the terrorists from escaping and sacrificed his life. He was a hard working security guard. He sacrificed his life while fulfilling his duties. His daughter's marriage is in December. The family's pain can be guessed. His daughter is now the daughter of the entire nation. The entire nation especially the government will consider this family," Chouhan told the media after meeting the family members of security guard Ramashankar Yadav, who was killed in Bhopal jailbreak.

"I don't know what sort of political mudslinging has begun. Few leaders of our nation cannot see the martyrdom of our soldiers. They cannot see the sacrifice of Ramashankar Yadav. They are the ones who murdered Shiv Prasad Kushwaha. They killed Sitaram Yadav in Khandwa. Some people are doing vote bank politics on this matter which is highly condemnable. One must refrain from doing this," he added.

Escalating his attack on the opposition, Chouhan said it is extremely unfortunate that they do not utter a word about the martyrdom of the soldiers.

"Shame on such politics and shame on such leaders. For us, nation is our first priority," he added.

Chouhan also announced Rs. 10 lakh compensation to slain security guard Ramashankar's family besides Rs. five lakh for his daughter's marriage and renamed the colony in his name.

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh yesterday cornered the state government and said the repeated instance of prisoners escaping from jails across the country suggested a larger 'conspiracy'.

"It is a serious issue. First SIMI activists fled the Khandwa Jail. Now, they have fled from the Bhopal jail. I have been reiterating that RSS activists and other similar organisations are behind the anti-Muslim riots in the country. It should be probed whether there is someone behind this or not," he said.

Eight terrorists of the banned group SIMI, who escaped from the Bhopal Central Jail after killing a guard, were gunned down in an encounter by the state police.