Jaipur: Dhan Singh Rawat, the BJP legislator from Rajasthan’s Banswara district and the minister of state for panchayati raj, has been booked for invoking religious polarisation before the forthcoming assembly elections in the state.

The district collector of Banswara had earlier issued a notice to Rawat for violating the model code of conduct and had sought a reply within three days.

Banswara circle officer Ghanshyam Sharma confirmed to The Wire that the FIR is being registered against Rawat under section 125 (promoting enmity between classes in connection with election) of the Representation of the People Act, following an order from the district election commission.

Speaking to The Wire, Anand Kumar, state chief electoral officer said, “No such order has been passed from our side. It has happened at the Banswara district level. Every official is authorised to register FIR.”

In his statement in a rally in Banswara on October 26, Rawat sought votes in the name of religion, “In Rajasthan, all Hindus should vote for the BJP, whether any work is done or not.”

Also read: Rajasthan Polls: Can Rebel BJP MLA Manvendra Singh Sway Rajput Votes for Congress?

Labelling the Congress as a Muslim party, he added, “Congress is a party for Muslims. If Muslims can vote en masse for the Congress, all Hindus should do so for the BJP.”

Responding to the controversy, Rajasthan home minister Gulab Chand Kataria said, “A voter has no religion. He can vote for any party. BJP has no objective of dividing people over religion. We are fine whether anyone votes for us or not.”

Rawat had also made the headlines a few months ago when a video of his son ruthlessly beating someone in the middle of the road went viral.