Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to his home state, Gujarat, and one of his key programmes was in Dahod on Monday.
He took part in a road show in Vadodara, addressed a mammoth gathering in Dahod and Bhuj. He will also take part in a mega road show late in the evening in Ahmedabad.
However, one person who was conspicuous by his absence was Bachu Khabad, minister of state for panchayats.
Khabad is reportedly under the scanner after his two sons — Balwant and Kiran — were arrested earlier this month after evading arrest for over a month. They are allegedly involved in a scam running into Rs 71 crore under MNREGA scheme in Dahod district.
Companies with whom both his sons are associated with had got contracts under the scheme despite not being the lowest bidders.
The Congress has demanded that Khabad should be sacked from the Bhupendra Patel-led BJP government in Gujarat. Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil has also demanded that Khabad should also be removed from the primary membership of the party if the BJP wants to show that it does not support corruption.
On May 21, Khabad did not attend the weekly cabinet meeting. While there were rumors that he had gone underground, he had clarified that he was busy in the arrangements for the Prime Minister’s function.
In between C. R. Paatil, Gujarat BJP president had said that the party would think about action if and when his name emerges in the scam.
On Monday, Dr. Yagnesh Dave, Gujarat BJP spokesperson, refused to comment on Khabad’s absence during the Prime Minister’s programme. “Any reaction will be after the Prime Minister’s visit,” he added.
The grapevine is that the BJP has instructed Khabad to stay away from any public programmes or meetings of the party.
In 2024, after BJP’s Rajkot candidate Parshottam Rupala had courted controversy following his remarks on the Rajput community, he too was not to be seen in one of the key election rallies addressed by Modi. The Rajput community had taken objection to the comments made by Rupala.
Also Read: Two Die After Consuming Country-Made Liquor In Dholera https://www.vibesofindia.com/two-die-after-consuming-country-made-liquor-in-dholera/
