'We don't roam empty-handed': BJP's Akash Vijayvargiya stirs fresh row with 'threat'

Indore: BJP MLA from Indore Akash Vijayvargiya on Monday kicked up a fresh row with his remarks that “we don’t roam empty-handed”, which the ruling Congress termed as a “threat” reminiscent of the June 26 incident wherein he had assaulted a civic official with a cricket bat in public view.

Akash Vijayvargiya, son of senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, made the remarks during a protest against the Kamal Nath government over crop loss and inflated power bills.

“We demand that all ministers, MLAs and other leaders of the Congress should ensure that farmers are compensated at the earliest for the crop loss caused by unseasonal rains,” he said.

“Despite erratic electric supply in the state, people are getting inflated bills worth lakhs. This problem should be solved immediately or else you (government) know that we don’t roam around empty handed,” Akash Vijayvargiya said.

After Akash Vijayvargiya’s remarks in Hindi went viral on social media, state Congress spokesman Neelabh Mishra said, “Akash’s threatening statement has clearly pointed towards the incident of thrashing a municipal corporation official with a cricket bat.”

Mishra said Akash Vijayvargiya’s remarks showed he had not learnt any lesson even after his arrest for attacking the civic official.

He alleged that the BJP had not taken any disciplinary action against Akash Vijayvargiya in the previous incident. “It seems the anarchist behaviour of its representatives in public is acceptable to the BJP,” Mishra added.

Akash Vijayvargiya, a first-time MLA from Indore-3 Assembly constituency, was caught on camera assaulting Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) official Dhirendra Singh Bais with a cricket bat while opposing demolition of a dilapidated house on June 26 this year.

He was arrested and subsequently released on bail. The issue of imminent action against Akash Vijayvargiya had come up after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had disapproved of his conduct and language, without taking his name.

However, it was never confirmed whether Akash Vijayvargiya was ever issued a show-cause notice by the BJP.