Congress, BJP Spar Over Video Showing CM Shivraj Chouhan as Angad, Kamal Nath as Ravana

Bhopal: A few days after BJP president Amit Shah had claimed that BJP government in MP was as firm as the foot of Angad, the mythological character from Ramayana, a video started doing the rounds on social media on Tuesday depicting Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as Angad and Congress MP chief Kamal Nath as Ravana.

The video was shared by BJP member Shivraj Singh Dabi. He identifies himself on social media as BJP IT cell, website and social media head for the state. The morphed video also depicted former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Congress’ working MP president Jitu Patwari and others as Ravana’s family members.

Soon after the video started trending, it led to a war of words between the two parties. The BJP tried to distance itself from the video, with party spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal saying that they had nothing to with it and questions should be asked from the person who made it. “Producing such content is Congress culture not ours,” he said.

Miffed with the clip, the Congress lodged a complaint with cyber cell of police, in which it blamed ‘Shivraj Singh Dabi of BJP’ for the act. In the complaint, the Congress has accused Dabi of morphing the video and insulting the sacred epic Ramayana. They also accused him of insulting Congress leaders who are shown bending before CM Shivraj in the clip.

The opposition party not only sought action against Dabi under the IT Act but also against party state head Rakesh Singh and CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Youth Congress president Kunal Chaudhary flayed the video saying the BJP was engaging in such acts to shift focus from real issues.

Agrawal accepted that Dabi was a part of BJP. "If they wish to complain against Dabi, let them do so but why name our state head Rakesh Singh and CM Shivraj in the complaint. This is a joke," he said.

The video is being seen as BJP’s response to Nath, who while referring to CM Shivraj had said, “some friends remain worthy and some worthless.” Shivraj on Tuesday replied to the remark and said, “I called him my friend, which showed my values and he called me nalayak which depicted his culture.”