Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (October 5) appeared to be strongly denying reports that Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa was detained by police after he was allegedly found with a Russian woman in a five-star hotel in New Delhi. Madan Rathore, president of BJP's Rajasthan unit vehemently denied the reports. He said that the opposition parties were attempting a character assassination of the deputy chief minister.
As he spoke with reporters in Jaipur he accused Congress party of stooping to the level of 'low politics' ('halki rajneeti'). He hinted that the opposition was trying to mislead people and spread rumours.
“No BJP leader is involved in this or has anything to do with it. The character assassination that is being done, I believe, is halki rajneeti (low politics) and no one should stoop so low against anyone. Politicians should avoid misleading people, spreading rumors or maligning the image (of others),” said Rathore.
Other leaders from the BJP ranks rushed to defend Bairwa as well.
Kirodi Lal Meena, a cabinet minister, posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) denouncing what he called were 'blatant lies' about the deputy CM.
निरंतर जनसेवा कर रहे उपमुख्यमंत्री श्री @DrPremBairwa जी के विषय में सफेद झूठ बोलकर अफवाह फैला रहे हैं।ऐसा करने वाले समाज और प्रदेश की राजनीति को दूषित कर रहे हैं।मैं ऐसी निंदित व कुत्सित राजनीति करने वालों की भर्त्सना करता हूं।
— Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena (@DrKirodilalBJP) October 5, 2024
ये भूता: विघ्नकर्तारस्ते नश्यन्तु शिवाज्ञया।
The controversy
The issue hit the headlines after Congress leader Supriya Shrinate posted a cryptic post on X on October 4.
निरंतर जनसेवा कर रहे उपमुख्यमंत्री श्री @DrPremBairwa जी के विषय में सफेद झूठ बोलकर अफवाह फैला रहे हैं।ऐसा करने वाले समाज और प्रदेश की राजनीति को दूषित कर रहे हैं।मैं ऐसी निंदित व कुत्सित राजनीति करने वालों की भर्त्सना करता हूं।
— Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena (@DrKirodilalBJP) October 5, 2024
ये भूता: विघ्नकर्तारस्ते नश्यन्तु शिवाज्ञया।
Next day, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) a part of Congress-led INDIA alliance, alleged that Deputy CM Bairwa had been detained by the police after he was found with a Russian woman in Delhi's Le Meridien Hotel.
Past controversies
Bairwa has been associated with controversies in past. Just weeks ago, his son Chinmay Kumar Bairwa was seen in a reel in which he was seen taking his hands off the steering wheel of the vehicle while it was being escorted by the police.
Bairwa was also in news for alleged misuse of government letterhead.