KONDAGAON: A BJP MP from Chhattisgarh has stoked a controversy by reportedly referring to the alleged gangrape and death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras as a "banavat" (fake) incident, drawing flak from the ruling Congress.
Mohan Mandavi, who represents Kanker seat, had made these remarks during a protest held last week by his party in Kondagaon district over the alleged gangrape and suicide by an 18-year-old tribal woman in Dhanora area.
"If there will a CBI investigation (into Dhanora case), similar incidents will be unearthed in every four to five villages (of Bastar in Chhhattisgarh) those who fabricate the false story of Hathras. No atrocity had occurred there."
'Usse banawati banakar, use atyachar banakar' (by making up the Hathras incident), senior Congress leaders have been visiting there where nothing has happened," Mandavi said while addressing a gathering, a video of which has been doing rounds of social media.
The BJP leader said atrocities have been taking place on tribals in Bastar.
"Why don't they (Congress leaders) come here? Why do they hide their faces? Where are so-called well wishers of tribals have gone? Chief Minister (Bhupesh Baghel) should step down as they are not able to handle the situation here," he had said.
He later told local reporters that newspapers have reported that Hathras incident was 'banawati' (fake).
"It is viral on twitter. That (Hathras) was a banavat incident while it (which occurred in Dhanora) was a genuine one. Therefore, we have staged a demonstration.
"The Congress stages protests for made-up incidents and not for genuine ones. Hathras is located miles away from here where no one has given us votes but the Congress has been going there for staging a dharna," the MP added.
Reacting sharply, the Congress said the MP's remarks reflects the mindset of BJP towards the Hathras incident.
"Mandavi's statement reflects the mindset of the BJP toward the Hathras incident. It has made clear that senior BJP leaders will only speak on the issues of only those areas where they have got votes.
"It is unfortunate that Mandavi went to media to substantiate his false statement," state Congress spokesperson Dhananjay Singh Thakur said.
Meanwhile, state BJP spokesperson Sanjeev Shrivastav has slammed Congress for adopting "double standards" over incidents of sexal assaults on women while "keeping mum" on the Dhanora incident.
"Recently, a minister in Chhattisgarh described the gangrape occurred in Chhattisgarh as a small incident while comparing it with Hathras incident, which shows shameful political thinking of the ruling party," Shrivastav said.