Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday hit out at Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel saying that he insulted Lord Mahadev (Shiva) by naming a betting app after him. He also alleged that Bemetara district in Chhattisgarh has become a centre of “love jihad” and that no one would dare do such an act, if the BJP is voted to power in the state.
Love jihad is a term often used by right-wing activists to allege a ploy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into religious conversion through marriage.
Shah was addressing a rally in Saja assembly constituency in Bematara district on the last day of campaigning for the second phase of elections.
“Sahu, Kurmi and Gond communities were under the target of it (love jihad) while the Bhupesh Baghel government remained asleep, he said. “Who will wake them up? It’s your votes. I promise, you bring BJP to power, no one will dare commit such an act,” he said.
The union home minister further alleged that Baghel had turned the Durg division from being an education hub to a “centre of betting”.
“Bhupesh Kakka destroyed Durg division. During the Raman Singh-led BJP government, Durg division had become a centre of education. Bhupesh Baghel turned it into a centre of satta (betting).”
Targeting the CM over the Mahadev betting app ‘scam’, Shah said, “Why did he use the name Mahadev? Modi ji sent ‘Chandrayaan’ to the moon and named the spot (where it landed) Shivshakti, expressing reverence to Lord Shiva and Maa Shakti. But Bhupesh Kakka named a betting app after Mahadev and insulted him.”
If Bhupesh Baghel returns to power citizens won’t be able to utter the name of Mahadev, Shah claimed. “…As Bhupesh fears police would come. He has committed the sin of pushing youths into the business of betting,” he said.
Hitting out at the Congress government over corruption, Shah accused Baghel of turning Chhattisgarh into a collection centre and ATM of Congress.
The second phase of Chhattisgarh election will be on November 17 and counting of votes will be December 3.