BHOPAL: In Indian State of Madhya Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Akash Vijayvargiya, the son of party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, was caught on camera assaulting a municipal corporation officer with a cricket bat during an argument over a demolition drive in Ganji compound area.
The SSP of Indore, Ruchi Vardhan Mishra, said that an FIR will be registered in the case and if needed, the MLA could be arrested.
According to eye-witnesses, even as locals were protesting razing of a house, Akash, who was a part of the protest, warned the team of civic body staff of consequences if they do not leave the spot.
At the same time, the MLA’s supporters removed the keys of the earth moving machine brought along by the civic body team to carry out demolition, they said.
Amid heated exchange, Akash Vijayvargiya brought out a cricket bat and started hitting an officer who was talking over his mobile phone, an act recorded on camera. Supporters of the MLA also attacked the officer and abused him while police personnel present at the spot tried to bring the situation under control.
After the incident, Akash, who represents Indore-3 Assembly Segment, went to MG Road Police Station along with his supporters, where local BJP leaders joined them. Meanwhile, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) employees held a demonstration by stopping their work.
Akash said he had spoken to the municipal commissioner and sought extension of stay for the tenants in that house, which authorities claimed was dilapidated.
“The house was not in that bad condition. Some officials of the municipal corporation are razing even those houses which are in good condition by declaring them dilapidated. This is a conspiracy between owners of the houses and officials. They want to raze the houses so that leaders of the ruling Congress can take possession of the land. We are opposing this,” the MLA said.
Condemning the incident, state Congress spokesperson Neelabh Shukla said, “The lawmaker himself has broken the law. The incident has exposed the real face of the BJP. In a way, the incident has exposed the fissures within the BJP, as the IMC is represented by a BJP mayor,” he said.
