BJP MLA Pradeep Patel
Bhopal: A video of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator in Madhya Pradesh surfaced on social media on Wednesday, purportedly showing him prostrating before a senior police official, and alleging that he and some other cops want to get him "killed" by goons.
In the viral video, MLA Pradeep Patel is seen lying on the floor with his face down and arms stretched out in front of Mauganj district Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anurag Pandey. The MLA from Mauganj is heard telling Pandey that he and other police officials have told goons to get him "killed".
Pandey, on his part, is heard denying the claim of the ruling party legislator.
On Wednesday, Patel also dashed off a letter to the Mauganj district Superintendent of Police (SP) and the Inspector General (IG) of Rewa zone, drawing their attention to illegal drug trade in the area.
Mauganj SP Rasna Thakur said the video has come to her knowledge and confirmed receiving Patel's letter.
In the letter, Patel has sought action against those involved in drug trade, she said.
Thakur said police have been continuously taking action against drug traffickers and referred to recent seizure of ganja and bottles of banned cough syrup in the district, located around 570km from state capital Bhopal.
The MLA has provided some details and information to police and teams have been constituted to act on them, the SP said.
Sources said Patel on Wednesday travelled to Rewa to meet the IG, but could not meet him.
In the letter addressed to the IG (Rewa zone), the BJP legislator alleged that illegal drug trade was on the rise in Mauganj district in the absence of effective action by police.
Patel further claimed there was no fear of law among criminals and crimes, including murder, rape, theft and loot, are increasing in the district.
In the video, ASP Pandey is heard asking the MLA, when he enters his office, what is the problem. In reply Patel is heard saying, "there is no problem but you want to get me killed by goons".
Patel is later heard saying that goons have said that ASP and IG had told them to kill him and get a prize.
The BJP leader could not be contacted for his remarks after the video went viral.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress latched on to the clip to claim that the law and order has collapsed in the BJP-ruled state.
Congress leader Arun Yadav shared the video on X and said in a post: "BJP MLA from Mauganj Pradeep Patel is begging for his safety by bowing down in front of police officers. This is the proof of claims made by Congress that the law and order in the state has completely collapsed." "When a ruling MLA has to bow down for his safety, then how will the police protect our sisters, daughters and common people?" the former Union minister asked.
Asked about Yadav's statement, state BJP spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said the Congress always makes baseless allegations.
The BJP government has been protecting each and every citizen, and there was no law and order problem in Madhya Pradesh, Chaturvedi asserted.