Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh): Rape accused self-styled godman Vairagyanand Giri, known as Mirchi baba in religious circles, had access to many top leaders of the Congress while working for the party, that didn’t go down well with the party’s rank and file.
It was last month only when Congress MLA Laxman Singh alerted the party and also state Congress president Kamal Nath advising them to keep away from Mirchi Baba.
“Mirchi Baba is campaigning for the party again. We have seen the result of Mirchi yajna during Lok Sabha polls. @INCMP @OfficeOfKNath should be alert”, tweeted Laxman Singh who is younger brother of former chief minister Digvijaya Singh.
Mirchi Yajna mentioned by Singh was in reference to the Yajna Mirchi Baba performed with 5 tonnes of red chilli for victory of Digvijaya Singh during 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Singh lost to BJP nominee Pragya Thakur with a huge margin of votes.
Mirchi Baba had claimed that if Digvijaya Singh didn’t win he would undertake a Jal Samadhi but after the polls he was untraceable for some time. He later submitted an application to Bhopal collector that he be permitted to undertake Jal Samadhi at upper lake. Of course, he was not to get such permission.
It’s not the first time when Laxman Singh warned the party against Mirchi Baba but the latter continued to call the shots in the party ostensibly with free hand from the state unit president despite the fact his statements many a time advocated violence and stoked controversies, said party leaders.
In July, he said those who would behead the maker of film Kali would get a reward of Rs 20 lakh from him. Earlier, he said, those who beheaded Kanhaiya should be shot dead publicly.
Coming from a village in Bhind district Mirchi Baba flaunted his proximity with Congress leaders through photographs posted on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
On July 23, he said he had a meeting with saints in Gwalior-Chambal region and as many as 10000 sadhus and saints would campaign for the Congress for the coming elections.
A senior party leader said, “His rise in the party was embarrassing for us but we were helpless as he was patronized by top leaders despite his controversial backgrounds.”
State Congress spokesperson JP Dhanopia said, “We have no comments to offer on the accusation of rape. It’s for law to deal with the case.”
