BHOPAL: Former chief minister and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh on Saturday said chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is presently “so mentally disturbed” that he calls him a traitor and then a Naxalite.Digvijaya Singh was addressing a gathering at Peer Gate in the old city appealing to the people of the state capital and Madhya Pradesh to support the Congress call for Bharat bandh on Monday against rising prices of petrol and diesel.“Iss Madhya Pradesh ka mukhya mantri itna paglaya hua hai. Maaf karenge mein paglaya shabd nehi kahoon toh aur kya kahoon inke baare mein? Itna baukhlaya hua hai ki bina praman ke, bina case ke mujhe deshdrohi bata diya (The chief minister of Madhya Pradesh is so mentally disturbed. Pardon me, if I do not say mentally disturbed then what should I say about him? He is so flustered that without evidence, with a case he called me a traitor).”Reacting strongly to the Congress leader’s choice of words for chief minister Chouhan, the state’s home minister Bhupendra Singh told TOI, “What Digvijaya Singh says is not taken very seriously. He has reduced himself to become a joke in politics. Then there are serious allegations being levelled against him so he is troubled and using such bad language. Previously also, he has used such language which is unacceptable in a democracy. Digvijaya Singh is disturbed after his phone numbers have been found with alleged Maoists.”On Saturday evening between 4 and 5pm, former chief minister Digvijaya Singh walked from Peer Gate old city to Lakirapura and congested Chowk Bazar area, then through Sarafa Chowk to Itwara and Budhwara appealing to traders to keep their establishments closed and support the Congress’ call for Bharat Bandh on Monday. Singh was accompanied by MLA from the North Bhopal constituency Arif Aqueel. The senior Congress leader followed by Aqueel’s supporters walked through the lanes of busy Chowk Bazaar while announcement was being made over loudspeaker.At Peer Gate, Digvijaya Singh addressed a gathering and said, “I appeal to citizens of Bhopal, the city’s traders and the people of Madhya Pradesh, especially those who travel on motorbikes and scooties that you are suffering the most. You have to show your strength so that the government is compelled to reduce VAT on fuel. And when VAT is reduced, prices will come down by Rs 10 to Rs 15 per litre.”Then he claimed that chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is “under pressure”. “The chief minister is troubled, sometimes he calls me a traitor and sometimes a Naxal. When I go to the police station, the TI says there is no case against me,” he said. Thereafter, he claimed that Chouhan is “mentally disturbed”.“While he calls me a traitor, he takes no action against Bajrang Dal leader caught for spying for ISI and Pakistan. I have found out what happened to the case, those persons have been freed on bail. Bajrang Dal leader from Satna Dhruv Saxena who spied for Pakistan is a patriot and I am a traitor,” he said.“The Congress removed complexities of the inspector raaj and yet you give the BJP votes and notes. I am not asking for notes, but at least give us the votes. Votes will come later. However, on September 10 support the Congress. Show them that you are annoyed with demonetisation, GST and fuel price rise,” he said.

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