Bhopal: Former chief minister and BJP national vice-president Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday condemned murder of a party worker allegedly by a Congress leader for voting for BJP in the Sunday’s elections in Indore Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh and apprehended that MP was gradually turning into West Bengal.
Mr Chouhan who visited slain BJP worker Nemichand Tanwar’s widow and their son, who sustained bullet injuries in the attack allegedly by a Congress leader Arun Sharma, in the hospital in Indore, alleged that BJP workers in the state have been targeted ever since Kamal Nath government came to power in the state six months ago. “BJP men were attacked and intimidated by Congress leaders for working for the party”, he said, adding, “MP, known as island of peace, is gradually turning into West Bengal with law and order deteriorating very fast in the state”.
He held chief minister Kamal Nath responsible for attack on the BJP worker at Pilare village under Indore district on Sunday, saying that Mr Nath’s threat to rob his ministers of their positions if they failed to ensure lead for Congress candidates in their respective assembly constituencies in the recently held Lok Sabha elections had led to such attacks.
“Ministers in the Kamal Nath government are scared of losing their posts and hence they are forcing their followers to resort to intimidation to force BJP workers not to work for their party”, he added.
He wondered how the accused could get the fire arm to shoot the BJP worker since all weapons were supposed to be surrendered before police during elections.
Sixty five-year-old Nemichand was shot dead when he was standing in queue to cast his votes in his village of Pilare. His wife and son who were also standing in the queue were injured during the attack.
Local assistant sub-inspector Manish Khatri said Congress leader Arun Sharma allegedly shot Nemichand dead. The accused was absconding.
