The viral video was enough to trigger angry protests from the ruling BJP’s rank and file in the state. The BJP workers led by the first-time Indore III MLA Rakesh ‘Golu’ Shukla burnt the concerned Congress MLA’s effigy. “We demand immediate action against the concerned MLA by the Congress, failing which we will ensure that whenever he comes to Indore, his face is blackened for insulting Lord Shiva and Sanatan Dharma,” Shukla said.In the state capital Bhopal, meanwhile, the state BJP chief VD Sharma raised the issue, asking the Congress’s state and national leadership whether it was running a Mohabbat ki Dukan or Galiyon ki Dukan’ (shop of love or abuses). “We want to know from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as well as the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi what action will be initiated against the Congress MLA from Sheopur seat of MP.”The concerned Congress MLA, Babu Jandel, who is a second-time legislator from the Sheopur seat of the Gwalior-Chambal region, termed the video as doctored. “This video is very old and is from inside my house, where I was seated along with my trusted friends. We were talking about Satsang, coming from a rural background, I could’ve used rustic language. I’m an ardent Shiva Bhakt myself and cannot even dream of denigrating my worshipped deity. This video which is viral is actually doctored.”The state Congress’s media wing head Mukesh Naik (who has himself been a religious preacher in the past) also defended the party MLA, saying “This is a five years old video and possibly depicts the MLA’s haas, parihaas, vyang and vinod (funny and lighter) moments. He has donated 5 acres of land to build a Shiva Temple. The concerned video has been leaked by one of his friends, who is now in the BJP and wants to render the BJP electoral benefits in the coming by-election from Vijaypur assembly seat, which neighbours Jandel’s Sheopur seat.”State Congress spokesperson Abhinav Barolia, meanwhile, countered the BJP’s attack on the issue, by questioning what action had the ruling party taken against its own leaders, including ex-minister Kusum Mehdele, current MLA Pradeep Patel and 2023 assembly polls candidate Monika Shah Bhatti, for making objectionable remarks about Hindu deities, Lord Shiva, Lord Ram and Sita Mata in the past. He also dared the BJP leaders to make public the entire 20-minute video of Jandel along with his friends, instead of just sharing some portions of the long video.The latest viral video and its timing assume particular significance, as it has gone viral, nearly a month before the November 13 by-election to Vijaypur seat of the Sheopur district of the Gwalior-Chambal region. The by-poll bound constituency neighbours Jandel’s seat Sheopur.Former Congress veteran and sixth-time sitting MLA Ramniwas Rawat (currently the state’s forest minister) who joined the BJP during the LS polls is the BJP candidate from his citadel Vijaypur.Just a day back, the loudmouthed Congress MLA Babu Jandel, had announced that he would get his face blackened if the Congress lost the November 13 by-polls in the neighbouring Vijaypur constituency.
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