Chouhan firefights for Vijayvargiya on 'Indore on fire' remark

BJP vice-president Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said his party colleague Kailash Vijayvargiya's reported "setting Indore on fire" remark has been misconstrued and what the latter actually meant was he will "set off a fire of protests" against the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh.

Vijayvargiya, a former Madhya Pradesh minister who hails from the city, has been booked by the police for his reported remark that he would have "set Indore on fire", made during a BJP-organised protest here last week.

Coming out in defence of the BJP general secretary in- charge of West Bengal, Chouhan said there is no question of engaging in arson.

 

There is no question of setting on fire (Indore). It was regarding protest. He (Vijayvargiya) had talked about protests.

"I am also saying that we will launch a fire of agitations, the former chief minister told reporters here.

Chouhan was responding to scribes' queries seeking his reaction to Vijayvargiyas controversial remark.

In a democracy, protest is a source of strength. Our leaders and activists will pour onto the streets if the Congress government does not heed to concerns of public, he warned.

Asked about his party colleague's possible arrest, Chouhan said, Vijayvargiya is holding a big office of general secretary. In case, the state government tries to muzzle the voice of a BJP activist, we will spill onto the streets."

Vijayvargiya was among nearly 350 BJP workers who have been booked by the city police after a video purportedly showing him 'threatening' government officials went viral on social media over the last weekend.

The video, apparently shot during a protest organised by the BJP in the Residency area on Friday last, purportedly showed Vijayvargiya saying, "Our Sangh (RSS) leaders are (here), otherwise (we) would have set Indore on fire today."

At the time of the protest, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and its other senior leaders were in the city for an informal conclave of the organisation.

The BJP had organised the protest alleging that city officials were biased and taking "politically motivated" action against party workers.

Vijayvargiya, 63, had led the protest alleging the Congress government was targeting BJP cadres in the state.

The BJP had invited top civic and police officials for discussing this issue at the protest venue, but they did not turn up.

Later, when some junior-level officials reached the spot, Vijayvargiya appeared peeved.

In the video, the BJP leader was heard saying, "Have they (top officers) become so big? Officers should understand that they are public servants."

Opposing the FIR against Vijayvargiya, Chouhan said, The registration of police case is gross injustice and oppression."

The former chief minister sought to know why can't bureaucrats spare time to listen to pre-people issues raised by a senior leader like Vijayvargiya.

Vijayvargiya has been booked by the police under IPC sections related to unlawful assembly, provocation with intent to cause riot and criminal intimidation, among others.

On the state government's crack down on the land mafia under which illegal buildings are being razed, Chouhan said If the chief minister wants to act against mafia, he should take cudgels against sand, liquor, transport and transfer mafias.

We (BJP) wont tolerate suppression of common people in the name of anti-mafia operations, he added.