MP police fines BJP MLA for mentioning ‘chowkidar’ on number plate

Prime Minister's 'Mai Bhi Chowkidar' campaign landed a BJP legislature into trouble in Madhya Pradesh.

The Khandwa traffic police on Tuesday issued a challan against BJP MLA Ram Dangore for displaying ‘Chowkidar Pandhana’ on a plate put up just above his vehicles registration number plate.

Ram Dongare, is a legislator from Pandhana assembly constituency from the BJP.

Traffic police caught the MLA's SUV during a routine check at Indira Chowk in Khandwa. After stopping the car with a sign on its grille that said ‘Chowkidar Pandhana’. Traffic police officer Jyoti Suryawanshi asked the driver to remove the plate, but MLA Dongare, who was travelling in the SUV, stepped out and demanded to know which rule forbids him from installing such a sign.

As the argument heated up, Khandwa traffic DSP Santosh Kaul went to the spot along with other officers and imposed a fine.

"The BJP has launched ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign and, thus, installing a nameplate that says ‘Chowkidar’ is its promotion. It’s a violation of model code of conduct,” Kaul said.

The challan was issued for the violation of Section 51 of the Motor Vehicles Act for the improper display of number plate on the front of the vehicle, said Siddharth Bahuguna, superintendent of police, Khandwa.

“Besides, the registration plate, was improper and a searchlight was installed on the roof without the owner having taken permission. Because of all these violations, the MLA was fined under Sections 51/177 and 111/177 of The Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989,” the DSP said, adding that Dongare refused to pay the fine on the spot and asked for it to be submitted in court on Wednesday.

The MLA Ram Dangore — who is a teacher and has a BE degree in IT — alleged that he was being harassed as part of a campaign against the BJP members.

Dangore said, “Traffic police personnel stopped my vehicle and said I couldn’t write Chowkidar on my vehicle as it was a violation of the model code of conduct (MCC). I told them that it is just a term and not associated with any political party. But they didn’t listen to me and asked me to pay the penalty. I asked them to show a ruling which suggests that displaying chowkidar is a violation of the MCC. When they failed to show me anything, they allowed me to go.”

“However, on Tuesday afternoon, I came to know that the traffic police had issued a challan against me saying that I had violated the Motor Vehicles Act. The police are working on the directions of the Congress-led state government and are harassing BJP leaders,” he alleged.