MP: Cong, BJP engage in war of words after FIR against Jitu Patwari

Bhopal, June 28 (IANS) The Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, on Saturday, engaged in a political war of wards after an FIR was registered against the Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari for allegedly forcing two persons to make false claims against a local villager in Orchha earlier this week.

A case against Patwari was registered at the Mungaoli police station in Ashoknagar district on Friday night, following the outcome of inquiry into an alleged incident of assault and forcibly feeding human excreta to two Dalit persons last week.

In a video surfaced on social media on June 25, two Dalit youths - Gajraj Lodhi and Raghuraj Lodhi had claimed that they were thrashed by a village sarpanch and his son.

The duo had also claimed that they were forced to eat human excreta.

The village sarpanch belongs to the OBC (Yadav) community.

Highlighting the incident on social media platform X, Patwari and several other Congress leaders had then launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and questioned the law and order in the state.

However, the incident took a dramatic turn a day later (June 26) when Gajraj Lodhi and Raghuraj Lodhi in an affidavit submitted to Ashoknagar District Collector, Aditya Singh, claimed that they were forced by Congress leaders to record a video and make false allegation against the village sarpanch.

Subsequently, Mungaoli police registered an FIR against Patwari under Sections 61(2) criminal conspiracy, 196(1)(a) promoting enmity, 197(1)(c) assertion causing disharmony and hatred, 229(2) fabricating false evidence, 237 false declaration, and 353(1)(c) mischief of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Responding to the FIR against him, the State Congress President said on Saturday that, being a leader of the opposition party, he raised the issue and had demanded an action.

But the police, forced the victims to change their statement, Patwari alleged.

"Congress will continue to fight against atrocities against Dalits, no matter how many FIRs are lodged by the BJP. The victims were forced to change their statement and to submit an affidavit. The Congress demands an independent inquiry into the matter," he told media persons in Bhopal on Saturday.

On the other hand, Madhya Pradesh BJP Spokesperson Ashish Agrawal alleged that the Congress has been deliberately attempting to tarnish the BJP government's image through false allegations, which has now been exposed.

"Dalit youths in their affidavit have claimed that they were lured by Jitu Patwari and some other Congress leaders to make false allegations against the BJP government. Now, when Congress' conspiracy was exposed, they are blaming the BJP and police," Agarwal said.

--IANS

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