Want to be a big leader? Grab officials' collar, Chhattisgarh minister tells schoolchildren

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh industries minister

Kawasi Lakhma

has a bizarre advice for schoolkids on how to become a big politician -

grab the collars

of collectors and SPs. The minister made the statement during a visit to Pawaras village school in Sukma district on Teachers' Day. Lakhma, a powerful tribal leader, never had formal school education and couldn't read out his oath as minister.

While having an interaction with schoolchildren at Pawaras, Lakhma recalled an earlier instance when a student asked how one can become a 'big leader'. "I was asked, you are such a big leader. How did you do it? I advised them, they should know how to grab collars of collectors and SPs," he said, and laughed out loud. The kids laughed along as he made a fist and winked.

After a video of this went viral on Monday, Lakhma told mediapersons that his statement was "being twisted out of context". "What I meant was that one has to be at the forefront of people's struggle and fight with authorities to become a big leader," he said.

Lakhma is a five-time MLA from Konta constituency in Sukma, one of the worst Maoist-affected districts in the country. He is one of the few survivors of the 2013 Maoist massacre that wiped out nearly the entire Congress frontline leadership, and now holds the prize portfolio of industries and excise in the Bhupesh Baghel ministry.

BJP criticized him sharply, with party spokesperson and legislator Shivratan Ratan Sharma saying, "Lakhma's comment exposes the real culture of Congress as he is seen teaching children to bully people."

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