Balrampur, Dec 12 (PTI) BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ramvichar Netam's choice of words to suggest an alleged link between the Balrampur district police and an MLA of ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh triggered a row on Sunday.

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He also said, if required, the district superintendent of police and collector will be garlanded with shoes, and alleged that false cases were being lodged against BJP workers.

Reacting sharply, Congress said Netam has forgotten the responsibility of a civilised public representative.

Talking to reporters in Ambikapur town, the headquarter of the neighbouring Surguja district, Netam accused the Balrampur police of implicating BJP workers on false charges.

When asked about allegations that Balrampur police has been acting at the behest of Congress MLA Brihaspat Singh, the senior tribal leader said, "The SP is acting like his (MLA's) naukar (servant). False criminal cases are being lodged against our party workers there on the direction of the SP. I have raised the issue before higher authorities. The Commission for Scheduled Tribes has also served notice (to police).

“If the SP cannot maintain the dignity of that post then he should resign. If the Collector and SP will work like this then how will people trust them? How people will get justice? They are the authority of the district but if they will act like 'gulam' then it is intolerable. We will publicise this issue as much as possible and take it to people. If required, they will be garlanded with shoes,” he said without naming the officials.

Brihaspat Singh is the second time legislator from the Ramanujganj constituency in the Balrampur district. In the 2013 assembly elections, Singh had defeated Netam from the same seat.

Both Singh and the SP were not available for comments.

Condemning his statement, state Congress spokesperson Dhananjay Singh Thakur said, the Rajya Sabha MP, who had served as Home Minister (when BJP was in power), has forgotten the responsibility of a civilised public representative and used objectionable language against the officials.

He is threatening the SP and collector to garland them with shoes. Similar indecent behaviour of BJP leaders is seen all over the country, Thakur said.

“By opposing the action of the police, Netam has proved that some BJP workers are indulging in illegal activities under the protection of senior leaders,” he added.

When contacted, Netam told PTI that for so many years, he has been a public representative and anyone can get disturbed by seeing the pain of the people.

“The district administration should work to ensure justice to people, not to drag innocent people into false cases. What could be its reaction to such an act?” he asked when queried about his remarks.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)