Chhattisgarh’s Commercial Tax (Excise) and Industry minister Kawasi Lakhma courted controversy after a purported video of him bragging about advising a boy to “hold the collar of SP and collector to become a big politician,” surfaced on Monday, 9 September.
The Minister had reportedly made the remark during a Teachers’ Day celebration at a government school in Sukma district on 5 September.
Taking a dig at his alleged comment, a BJP leader congratulated Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, saying “his minister used good words for the executive.”
In the video, the Congress minister is seen sitting among schoolchildren and heard narrating some recent incident of interaction with students.
Lakhma is heard saying to some people who were not in the frame, that once he was asked by a student at to how he become a such “big leader.”
“The boy asked me as to ‘how I became a big politician and what he had to do (to become a political leader)‘. I told him to hold the collar of SP (superintendent of police) or (district) collector,” he is heard saying in the video.
Students and the others were seen laughing after his comment.
Lakhma Says He’s ‘Misquoted'
However, when contacted, Lakhma claimed he had been “misquoted” and had never mentioned about holding the “collar of SP or collector”.
“I visit schools and ashrams to meet students and ask them what they aspire to become,” he said.
“Once, when a student asked me what he should do to become a leader like me, I told him to study well and then fight for the public cause on the street,” he added.
“The statement of holding the collar of SP and collector, which being shown is fake. I told him to struggle and work hard to become a leader,” Lakhma told PTI over the phone.
The video was shared by former minister and BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar on Twitter who sarcastically wrote “Congratulations to Bhupesh Baghel ji. Your minister has used good words for the executive.”
“It would be better if you (CM) send him to Kurud (Chandrakar’s constituency) so that he can re-inaugurate public works dedicated by me. This will strengthen the democracy,” Chandrakar tweeted.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)