Chhattisgarh minister faces flak for slapping official

Raipur, March 22 : A senior minister in Chhattisgarh's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has got embroiled in a controversy after he reportedly slapped a government official.

Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ramvichar Netam had allegedly slapped protocol officer Santosh Devangan in Bilaspur town Saturday after the official failed to arrange a room for him at the state guest house during his brief visit to the town, based some 100 km from here.

The issue snow-balled Sunday after the official verbally reported the matter to Bilaspur District Collector Sonmoni Bora. The BJP state unit, taking a serious view, Monday asked for an explanation from the minister.

"The minister has told the party that he had not slapped the officer but surely sought reasons from him for failing to book a room at the state guest house. The issue has put the party in an uncomfortable situation as the opposition Congress has begun playing politics on the issue," sources in BJP here told IANS.

The issue-starved Congress found a rare opportunity to sharpen its attack on the BJP government after local newspapers carried the report prominently Monday, saying the officer was slapped four times by the minister Saturday and was also abused verbally.

"Netam has crossed limits... the minister has showcased the culture of the BJP government... we strongly condemn it. If the protocol officer had made any lapses in his duty he should have been dealt as per the system and rules and not the way the minister has chosen," said Ramesh Varlyani, spokesperson of Chhattisgarh Congress unit.