Cops were reportedly "made to wear" saffron scarves at Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's roadshow in Bhopal | Photo Credit: ANI

Bhopal: Controversy hit the roadshow of Congress candidate Digvijaya Singh, who is contesting from Bhopal, as police personnel on duty in civilian clothes were seen wearing ‘saffron scarves’. A policewoman at the roadshow told news agency ANI that they were asked to wear the scarves around their necks.

Singh was accompanied by Hindu religious leader Computer Baba and other saints in the road show, during which he addressed the public atop a vehicle and chanted “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Hum sab ek hain (We are one)”. Notably, a few policemen in plain clothes, who were deployed at the roadshow to maintain law and order were seen wearing saffron-coloured scarves, which is peculiar as police personnel are supposed to be apolitical.

When questioned, a policewoman told news agency ANI, “We are here on duty for a road show conducted by Computer Baba. We have been made to wear this." However, the cop did not disclose who had ordered them to sport the scarves for the roadshow of the Congress leader.

On Tuesday, the senior Congress leader, who faces BJP’s Sadhvi Pragya in the Bhopal Lok Sabha elections, performed a ‘havan’ along with his wife, in the company of Computer Baba, also known as Namdas Tyagi and thousands of other saints at an event in the city.

Computer Baba had told reporters that the yagna was a form of Hath Yoga that had been organised to pray for Digvijaya Singh's victory in the polls. The seer, who held the rank of a minister in the previous BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, slammed PM Narendra Modi for “fooling” the community of seers by using Ram Mandir as a “political tool.”

Bhopal: Police personnel in civil uniform seen wearing saffron scarves at the roadshow of Computer Baba and Digvijay Singh (Congress candidate from the Lok Sabha seat); a policewoman says "we've been made to wear this". #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/RN8UUN2oMC — ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2019

Bhopal: #Visuals from the roadshow of Computer Baba and Digvijay Singh (Congress candidate from Bhopal Parliamentary constituency). #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/iovEGWJuxS — ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2019

"BJP has fooled not just the public but the community of seers as well. All sadhus who are with me unanimously say that without a Ram Mandir there will not be a Modi government again," Computer Baba had said, adding that they were holding the Yagna to ensure Digvijaya Singh's victory.

BJP’s candidate Sadhvi Pragya is one of the seven accused facing trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, in which six people were killed. She is currently out on bail. Bhopal goes to polls in the sixth phase of the national elections on May 6.

