Bhopal: Launching a fresh salvo against the Congress government, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday alleged that the ruling party MLA was openly batting for terrorists lodged in Bhopal central jail.
Chouhan’s accusations come a day after Congress MLA Arif Masood urged Chief Minister Kamal Nath to remove Director General of the Bhopal Jail - Sanjay Chaudhary. The MLA, an old aide of Digvijaya Singh, had been upset with Chaudhary after the officer declined his demand of allowing outside food items into the central jail, citing rules and regulations.
Masood has demanded that outside food items should be allowed inside the jail as per the jail manual.
Those in the know claim the MLA’s demand was made with regard to Roza Iftar (customary breaking of daylong fast in evening) during the holy month of Ramzan.
Masood had even claimed he would personally look into the matter if the DG wasn’t removed.
Things took an ugly turn as operatives of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) have been lodged in the central jail.
Taking a potshot at Congress, Chouhan said that he was concerned as the MLA was openly expressing his support for “terrorists”.
“Earlier also the Congress was seen standing with the terrorists,” he claimed.
Chouhan then onto claim that he had seen a video in which a Congress MLA is threatening Chief Minister to remove DG (Prisons).
According to the former CM, the MLA had put across the particular demand so that “outside material could be sent to the terrorists”.
Congress media coordinator Narendra Saluja retorted saying Arif Masood’s demand had been for inmates of all religions. “The BJP is just an expert in spreading lies,” Saluja said.
Sources have said that the MLA from Bhopal Central assembly seat that has a sizable Muslim population, had made his resentment known to the party on Tuesday when CM Kamal Nath had summoned MLAs for lunch. “Neither ministers nor officer listens to me, so what should I do, should I resign,” Masood reportedly told the party.
Masood had also said that the previous BJP government hadn’t banned outside eatables and the rule was brought about only after the DG prison issued a circular from DG (Prisons).
The locals in the Old city also claimed that the Muslim community in the past used to send eatables inside the jail so the community members lodged there could break the fast during the month of Ramzan.
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