BJP MLA from Indore Akash Vijayvargiya famous for assaulting a civic official in full public view while opposing demolition of a house in June, kicked up a fresh row with his remarks that “we don’t roam empty-handed”, which the ruling Congress termed as a “threat” reminiscent of the June 26 incident.

Son of senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, Akash Vijayvargiya made the remarks (in Hindi) during a protest against the Kamal Nath government over crop loss and inflated power bills which went viral on social media

“We demand that all ministers, MLAs and other leaders of the Congress should ensure that farmers are compensated at the earliest for the crop loss caused by unseasonal rains,” he said.

He further said, “Despite erratic electric supply in the state, people are getting inflated bills worth lakhs. This problem should be solved immediately or else you (government) know that we don’t roam around empty handed.”

Reacting to the remark, Congress spokesman Neelabh Mishra said, “Akash’s threatening statement has clearly pointed towards the incident of thrashing a municipal corporation official with a cricket bat.”

Mishra further said Akash Vijayvargiya’s remarks showed he had not learnt any lesson even after his arrest for attacking the civic official.

He alleged that the BJP had not taken any disciplinary action against Akash Vijayvargiya in the previous incident. “It seems the anarchist behaviour of its representatives in public is acceptable to the BJP,” Mishra added.

Akash Vijayvargiya, a first-time MLA from Indore-3 Assembly constituency, was caught on camera assaulting Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) official Dhirendra Singh Bais with a cricket bat while opposing demolition of a dilapidated house on June 26 this year.

Akash was sent to judicial custody for a fortnight for the crime and was later granted bail.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too had reportedly expressed his displeasure over Akash Vijayvargiya, who assaulted a civic official in full public view with a cricket bat, and termed such kind of behaviour as “unacceptable”.

Condemning the act, Modi said, “beta kisi ka bhi ho, aise logo ki party see nikal dena chahiye” (regardless of whose son he is, such people should be sacked from the party).

Akash was sent to judicial custody for a fortnight for the crime and was later granted bail.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also had sought a report on the incident. However, it was never confirmed whether Akash Vijayvargiya was ever issued a show-cause notice by the BJP.

(With inputs from PTI)