Book banned: Minister's father held

By Our Staff Correspondent

RAIPUR, NOV. 4. The police today arrested Mr. Nand Kumar Baghel, father of the State Minister, Mr. Bhupesh Baghel, for his controversial book ``Brahman Kumar, Ravan Ko Mat Maro'' that had been banned by the Government last month. He has been charged with fomenting communal trouble.

The sale of the book has been prohibited in view of derogatory remarks made by the author against some leaders and Hindu deities. The remarks, police feared, would hurt the sentiments of a section of society and generate ill-will among the people.

However, what complicated the matter more was the forward written by the author in which he had described the Chief Minister, Mr. Ajit Jogi, as an inspiration behind the work.

The Chief Minister had to come out with a clarification saying that he had not authorised the author to mention him as an `inspiration'. He had said he did not agree with the contents of the book and neither did he subscribe to the sentiments of the writer.

The Government seized the copies of the book and issued arrest warrants against the author and the printer. While the printer was arrested, the author was evading arrest for quite sometime. However, he was arrested from his village near Bhilai recently and has been sent to judicial custody.

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