Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday washed the feet of the victim of the urination incident to apologise for the humiliating event.
The chief minister, who vowed not to spare the accused, was seen on camera welcoming the victim, identified as Dashmat Rawat, to the chief minister's residence in Bhopal. He was then seen washing Rawat's feet despite the latter hesitating to let the chief minister do so.
Chouhan, who also garlanded Rawat, also apologised for the incident. "I was pained to see that video. I apologise to you. People are like a God to me...." Chouhan told Rawat. He called the Rawat 'Sudama' and said, "Dashmat, you are now my friend."
The chief minister also discussed various issues with Rawat, especially on whether the benefits of different welfare schemes were reaching him. Earlier, the CM and the tribal man together planted a sapling at the Smart City Park here.
After the incident sparked widespread condemation, the BJP government swung into action and razed the illegal portions of the house of the accused, Pravesh Shukla, in his native Kubri village in Sidhi district on Wednesday afternoon. The Sidhi police arrested Shukla on Tuesday and invoked National Security Act (NSA) on Shukla and lodging him in Rewa district jail.