BJP MLA says MP minister threatened him over naming of college

A Madhya Pradesh BJP MLA has accused a Congress minister in the state of threatening him during a meeting on Monday over a suggestion to name a medical college after Mahatma Gandhi instead of late Madhavrao Scindia.

State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Pradyuman Singh Tomar, however, termed the allegations of Kolaras BJP MLA Virendra Raghuvanshi as "baseless".

Raghuvanshi said he had suggested that a local medical college be named after Mahatma Gandhi instead of late Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia during a meeting of the district planning committee at Shivpuri on Monday evening.

"I did not agree to the medical college being named after Madhavrao Scindia and said it should be named after Mahatma Gandhi as the world is celebrating his 150th birth anniversary. But, I was threatened by the minister in front of all participants in the meeting," Raghuvanshi claimed.

He claimed Tomar had called him a "traitor", adding that the minister should be held responsible "if anything were to happen to me".

"I am writing to the state government and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to provide me security," Raghuvanshi said.

Tomar, who is minister in charge of Shivpuri, told reporters no such altercation took place during the meeting.

"A proposal to name the local medical college after Madhavrao Scindia was passed unanimously. These allegations (by Raghuvanshi) are baseless," Tomar.

The minister's version was backed by Janpad Panchayat member Ramkali Chowdhary, who was present in the meeting.

She said she was not aware of any incident (as mentioned by the BJP MLA).