RAJIM (Chhattisgarh), Nov 14: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday attacked his Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel over the alleged ‘Mahadev’ betting app scam and said Lord Mahadev will not spare him and seek account of every single penny.
Addressing a rally in the Rajim constituency in Gariaband district ahead of the November 17 polling, the BJP leader accused the ruling Congress of having a nexus with Naxalites and claimed “rampant” religious conversion was going on in the tribal-dominated state.
“Recently, when I was in Bilaspur (for campaigning) I came to know Bhupesh Baghel looted Rs 508 crore through the Mahadev (betting) app. I thought the ED must have written less as more money than this (Rs 508 crore) must have been looted in this scam. Baghel’s term as CM was for 2.5 years and the remaining 2.5 years was for (his cabinet colleague) TS Singh Deo. Baghel, however, got an extension which would not have been possible without exchange of money,” he alleged.
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed it has recorded a statement of a ‘cash courier’ who alleged Mahadev betting app promoters have paid Rs 508 crore to Baghel till now, and that it is a ‘subject matter of investigation’. Baghel has denied the charge.
Sarma took a strong objection to naming the controversial betting app after a Hindu God and hit out at the Congress CM over the issue.
“He committed a scam by naming the app as Mahadev. He would have given the name Bhupesh or he would have used my name Himanta. But they named it Mahadev. Now, Mahadev will not spare him and will take account of every single penny. Bhupesh ji your time has come to give account and you have to give it,” Sarma said.
The BJP leader warned those involved in the multi-crore betting scam will not be spared.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji said yesterday (during his rallies in Chhattsigarh on Monday) that those who have committed a fraud in the name of Mahadev will not be spared. The BJP has not spared those who committed liquor scam in Delhi (where leaders of ruling AAP have been arrested) and now accused of the Mahadev betting scam will also not be spared,” Sarma asserted.
The Assam CM alleged large-scale religious conversion in Chhattisgarh under the Congress rule.
“Rampant religious conversion is taking place in Chhattisgarh. Rohingyas have been coming to Chhattisgarh. Sanatan followers are being converted in tribal areas. What kind of work and justice is this? Naxalites killed BJP workers. Bhupesh Baghel ji neither stops conversion nor takes action against Naxals. He says check boxes (luggage) of the CRPF. Now, time has come to check the boxes of Bhupesh Baghel and Rahul Gandhi due to the Mahadev app scam,” he said.
Early this month, Baghel urged the Election Commission to check the vehicles and luggage of paramilitary forces being deployed in the state for election duty, alleging the BJP was bringing in cash through them so that it could be used to influence voters.
Sarma alleged inaction on part of Baghel in rooting out Naxal menace.
“Naxalites would have been eliminated earlier. Why Bhupes Baghel doesn’t take action against Naxals. What is the reason? It is because there is a nexus between the Congress and naxals. Amit Shah ji (Union Home Minister Amit Shah) has announced that if the BJP comes to power in Chhattisgarh, Left-Wing Extremism will be eradicated in five years,” he asserted.
Rajim is among the 70 seats where polling will be held on Friday in the second and last phase of elections for the 90-member state assembly. Voting for 20 assembly seats, most of them located in Left-Wing Extremism-affected areas, was held on November 7 in the first phase.
Wednesday (November 15) is the last day of campaigning for the second phase of polls. (PTI)
