By Express News Service

BHOPAL: A political controversy broke out in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, when a ruling Congress MLA Baijnath Kushwah, while addressing school children at a Children Day program, gesticulated that drinking (alcohol) ruined the kingdom of many matchless kings, including Delhi’s Prithviraj Chauhan.

Addressing a program to mark country’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru’s birth anniversary and Children Day at a school in Morena district, the Congress MLA from Sabalgarh seat of Morena district, Baijnath Kushwah said, “Kings spanning from Delhi’s Prithiviraj Chauhan to Kannauj’s ruler Jaichand, all these kings were matchless rulers. But only due to one reason (the MLA gesticulated towards drinking habits) their kingdoms were ruined, leaving their forts to be inhabited now by bats. There is no one left behind on earth to take their (these kings) names.”

The Congress MLA, added, “I want to tell everyone that never consume alcohol before your children, who are your real property. If you drink before your children today, they too will imitate you in future that will ultimately ruin your entire clan’s future.”

Enraged over the MLA’s sentiments, the Rajput Karni Sena (an outfit of Kshatriyas) demanded public apology from the MLA for defaming their ancestors.

The words used by the MLA are deplorable and cannot be tolerated if the MLA doesn’t apologise publicly for these words, his tongue will be cut to ensure that he cannot speak such words again,” said a local Rajput Karni Sena leader Arun Rajawat.

However, with controversy having erupted over his statements, the Congress MLA responded calmly.

“Our state’s CM is working at ending the menace of drug abuse and other types of addiction in the state, as part of which only, I tried to tell the school children how even biggest of kingdoms were ruined due to alcoholism and drug addiction.

I can’t even imagine calling a legend like Prithviraj Chauhan an alcoholic, but still if my words have hurt anyone’s sentiments, I apologise for it,” the Congress legislator maintained.