Chhattisgarh: Political row over BJP leader's 'spit' remark

BJP Chhattisgarh in-charge Daggubati Purandeswari's 'spit' remark has sparked strong protests by Congress workers. The NSUI protested in a unique way by placing spittoons all over Balod town.

Raipur: A controversial statement made by BJP's Chhattisgarh in-charge Daggubati Purandeswari on the concluding day of the party's three-day state-level Chintan Shivir (contemplation camp) is creating a huge political storm in the state.

To energise BJP workers, Purandeswari, who is also the party's national general secretary, urged them turn back and spit so that the Bhupesh Baghel government in the state is swept away.

"We appeal to you to work with resolve, through your hard work BJP will come to power in 2023,” Purandeswari said at the state-level camp held in Bastar distrcit. “When you turn back and spit, then, Bhupesh Baghel and his cabinet will get swept away,"

Protests have started across the state following her statement. The NSUI protested in a unique way by placing spittoons all over Balod town and one even in the BJP office there. The Youth Congress burnt an effigy of the BJP and raised slogans against BJP leaders. This also led to a clash between the police and the Youth Congress workers.

Regarding this whole incident, state general secretary of the Youth Congress Sushil Maurya said that in BJP's three-day contemplation camp, the party leaders were unable to find a single issue against the Congress government.

“When no definite conclusion came out of the three-day Chintan Shivir, the BJP leader issued a statement like 'spitting' to get cheap popularity,” Maurya said, adding that this has proved that people of petty mentality can be in BJP only.

Stating that it is regrettable that such language is being used against the Bhupesh Baghel government, MLA Brihaspati Singh said: “The people who chose the Bhupesh Baghel government will give such a befitting reply that these people will not be able to spit.”

NSUI district president Kuldeep Yadav said that Chhattisgarh does not have a culture where such language is used. Stating that an attempt is being to impose outside culture here, he said that Bastar is a holy place where innocent people live.

“It does not suit them to use such language here. She (Purandeswari) should also realise that she is a woman,” Yadav said.

On his part, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that Purandeswari “was fine when she was in Congress, don't know what happened after joining BJP”.

Apart from Purandeswari, other senior leaders of the BJP, including former Chief Minister Raman Singh, also attended the state-level Chintan Shivir in Bastar.