COAL AND transport businessman Suryakant Tiwari, whose premises were recently searched by Income-Tax department in Chhattisgarh, on Sunday alleged that I-T officials told him that he could become CM if he uses his ties with ruling Congress MLAs to topple the government. This led to a war of words between the opposition BJP and the Congress.
In a video message circulated on social media, Tiwari alleged he was physically and mentally tortured during the searches after he refused to implicate a government officer posted at Chief Minister’s Office by giving false statement.
“During the IT search since June 30… They forced me to link Soumya Chaurasia, deputy secretary posted at the CMO, with my business…,” he alleged. “I-T officers wanted me to implicate her and they also offered me to become CM by toppling the government,” he alleged. “I was told that the Congress MLAs I know will be supported by the BJP, if I help them, to form the government.”
State BJP spokesperson Sanjay Shrivastav said Tiwari’s allegations were made at the behest of CM Bhupesh Baghel and were baseless. “Bhupesh Baghel should be ready to accept his destiny. His agents have been exposed. Such baseless statements are not going to save them,” he said.
State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla said the coal trader’s statement shows that the BJP is trying to destabilise a democratically elected government in Chhattisgarh. “It is evident from Tiwari’s statement that the BJP can stoop to which level to topple governments in non-BJP ruled states. Its examples were seen in Karnataka, MP, Manipur and Maharashtra.”