Ahmedabad: The attack on the sarpanch of Bagdana village has heated up the political atmosphere in the state, triggering a sharp exchange between the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress following a post by Congress leader Amit Chavda on X. The BJP hit back strongly, asserting that the state government is acting firmly and without political interference in the matter.

Reacting to the controversy, BJP chief spokesperson Dr Anil Patel said the government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, is pursuing a zero-tolerance approach towards crime.

“Congress politics is now limited only to X, which shows that the party has lost its connection with the ground. Its only political strategy is to level allegations against the BJP government on every issue. I have gathered details of the Bagdana incident and, in reality, it is an incident between one or two individuals. FIRs have been registered based on complaints, and action is being taken accordingly. Turning every such incident into a political issue is precisely why the people of Gujarat repeatedly reject Congress,” Patel said.

He added, “Under the leadership of Bhupendra Patel and Harsh Sanghavi, this government does not spare criminals. There is zero tolerance on law and order. Wherever a crime has come to notice, appropriate action has been taken and investigated. Ultimately, punishment is awarded by a court of law, and the government ensures proper legal presentation so that punishment is based on evidence and law. The BJP government does not protect anyone—be it a celebrity, a political leader or a worker of any party. Its policy is ‘only prosecution, no political protection’.”

The attack on Navneetbhai Baldhiya, a sevak of the Bagdana Guru Ashram in Bhavnagar, has triggered widespread debate on social media and heightened political and community reactions.

Police have arrested eight accused and conducted a scene reconstruction by taking them to the spot and drawing a panchnama. Those arrested include Naju Kamaliya, Raju Bhammar, Atul Bhammar, Virendrasinh Parmar, Satish Vanaliya, Bhavesh Shelana, Pankaj Mer and Viru Serda. Further investigation is underway.

The controversy traces back to a programme in Mumbai, where folk artist Mayabhai Ahir referred to Yogesh Sagar as the “managing trustee” of the Bagdana temple. Baldhiya later called Mayabhai and objected, stating that there is no such post at the ashram and that all members are trustees. Subsequently, Mayabhai Ahir issued a video apology, admitting the mistake and seeking forgiveness from the Bagdana trust.

After the assault, Baldhiya alleged in a video that he was attacked at night with pipes and sticks following a conversation with Jayraj, Mayabhai Ahir’s son, and suggested that the attack may have been carried out at the behest of an influential person. These allegations led to strong protests and threats of agitation by members of the Koli community, who accused the police of bias and demanded a fair investigation.

In the wake of the incident, Bagdana police station PI D.V. Dangar was placed in leave reserve with immediate effect, even as the police moved swiftly in the case. DeshGujarat