"Will Cut Lemons": Chhattisgarh MP's Superstitious Comment Raises Eyebrows

A sitting BJP MP has stirred controversy in Chhattisgarh with remarks invoking ritualistic practices to "punish" erring officials. His comments come amid the state government's law to curb witchcraft and superstition.

Bhojraj Nag, BJP MP from Kanker Lok Sabha constituency, warned government officials today that if they failed to respond to public grievances or answer phone calls, he would "cut lemons for them all" -- a reference rooted in a local superstition from Bastar, where cutting a lemon in someone's name is believed to bring misfortune upon them. 

"Tell me which officials don't answer calls, don't speak, and don't listen to people's problems. I'll cut lemons for all of them," he said at a press conference in Dhamtari, held on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda.

The MP's comment, framed as a warning to negligent officers, raised eyebrows for its superstitious overtones -- especially in a state where superstition-related crimes continue to claim lives despite the Chhattisgarh Witchcraft Prevention Act, 2005 (Chhattisgarh Tonhi Pratadna Nivaran Adhiniyam, 2005), being in force.

Nag's repeated use of this metaphor, often in the context of disciplining bureaucrats, has drawn both criticism and ridicule. Once earlier, the MP had said that he would "Drive away the ghost by cutting lemons".

During a housing fair in Pakhanjoor, Kanker, last year, Nag warned officials with "old mindsets" to reform, or he would begin "exorcising them" six months after the election.

A prominent tribal leader, Nag has often publicly embraced spiritual beliefs.

During Navratri last year, he was reportedly "possessed by a goddess" while participating in a procession. He was seen dancing amid chants and drumbeats.

"In our tribal culture, many people are visited by deities. The goddess has been blessing me for 15 to 20 years. The work of gods and goddesses is to promote progress in the region," he said later.

While such statements reflect the deep faith that underpins tribal traditions, they also blur the line between cultural expression and superstition, particularly when invoked by a public representative holding constitutional office.

The MP's comment also comes against the backdrop of widespread superstition-related violence in the state. Despite the Witchcraft Prevention Act, crimes tied to occult beliefs remain alarmingly frequent. 

From January 2020 to June 2024, 54 murders linked to superstition were reported in Chhattisgarh. More than 200 incidents of superstition-related violence occur annually, according to state data. 

As per NCRB 2021, Chhattisgarh recorded the highest number of witchcraft cases (20) in India, followed by Madhya Pradesh (18). 

Between 2005 and 2017, nearly 1,350 cases related to witchcraft and superstition were registered in the state. The Chhattisgarh Witchcraft Atrocities (Prevention) Act, 2005, provides penalties for promoting or practicing harmful superstitious acts.