Singrauli (MP): Politics in Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli district heated up on Thursday following the arrest of senior Congress leader and former Pradesh Congress secretary Bhaskar Mishra under the SC-ST Act. The arrest was made after BJP’s Devsar MLA Rajendra Meshram lodged a formal complaint, accusing Mishra of making indecent and objectionable remarks against him.
According to police officials, a video surfaced on social media a few days ago in which Mishra was allegedly seen using derogatory language directed at MLA Meshram. The circulation of this video triggered controversy, leading Meshram to file a complaint at Kotwali Waidhan police station. Taking swift action, the police registered a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrested Mishra on Thursday morning. Under the provision of this act, if proven guilty, the accused could face punishment ranging from rigorous imprisonment to even life imprisonment.
Police sources revealed that Mishra was apprehended when he had arrived at the Kotwali in connection with another case as a representative of the victim side. The arrest process was kept confidential to avoid any resistance, and even local Congress workers were unaware until after the fact. Following his arrest, Mishra underwent a medical examination before being produced before the special judge. His counsel pleaded for bail, but the court rejected the plea and ordered him to be sent to jail.
The arrest quickly stirred the political landscape in Singrauli. Within hours, nearly fifty Congress leaders and supporters gathered at the police station, alleging that Mishra was falsely implicated to silence the opposition. Local Congress leaders claimed the action reflected the ruling BJP’s dictatorial tendencies and misuse of state machinery.
District Congress Committee city president Praveen Singh Chauhan strongly condemned the arrest, stating that the BJP has been repeatedly targeting Congress leaders across Madhya Pradesh through the police and administration. He added that similar tactics were being employed in Singrauli to suppress political dissent.
Former city president Arvind Singh Chandel also criticized the move, declaring that Mishra had not made any caste-indicating remarks and that invoking the SC-ST Act against him was unjustified. “The entire Congress party stands firmly with Bhaskar Mishra,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, Vindhyanagar CSP Punnu Singh Paraste confirmed that the arrest was carried out based on MLA Rajendra Meshram’s complaint. He further disclosed that Mishra already faces 14 criminal cases in different police stations, which adds weight to the legal proceedings against him.
