Cong-BJP political 'dogfight' intensifies in MP

Canines remain at the centre of a political slugfest in Madhya Pradesh as the ruling Congress on Tuesday hit back at the BJP for questioning transfer of police sniffer dogs and their handlers, claiming the previous Shivraj Singh Chouhan government had also issued such orders 63 times.

The two parties are locked in a bitter war of words since Friday when 46 police dogs and their handlers were transferred by the state government, with the BJP dubbing it as part of a "flourishing transfer racket" under the Congress which came to power in December last year.

An irked state PWD Minister Sajjan Singh Verma had retorted that the BJP had a "dog-like mentality".

The transfer order was issued by the commandant of the 23rd Battalion of the Madhya Pradesh Police.

On Tuesday, Congress leaders came out with copies of purported transfer orders of police dogs and their handlers issued during the erstwhile Chouhan-led BJP government.

They sent the copies to Chouhan, who is now BJP vice- president. He was chief minister from 2005 to 2018.

"On 63 occasions, police dogs and their handlers were transferred under the BJP regime headed by Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh.

"We have delivered all these orders to Chouhan's staff at his residence today (Tuesday)," said Congress Media Cell Coordinator Narendra Saluja.

After Friday's transfer order, MLA and state BJP vice- president Rameshwar Sharma had tweeted, "If it will be in their control, the Congress can even transfer the land and the sky."
"Some of the officials were transferred 3-4 times in this period. A transfer racket is flourishing and posts in government offices are being sold."