Fire truck sent to wash former Gujarat minister's house sparks row

A viral video shows a fire tender spraying water at the house of former Gujarat minister and BJP MLA Bachubhai Khabad in Dahod, sparking a controversy over the misuse of an emergency vehicle.

What Happened

The incident took place at Khabad's house in Pipero village in Dhanpur taluka. Devgadh Baria municipal chairperson Dharmesh Kalal said he sent the fire tender after receiving a call from Khabad because he assumed there was an emergency. Devgadh Baria municipal fire officer Mayur Singh Chauhan said he was told by the civic body's chief to send the vehicle to Pipero. When the fire tender arrived, the MLA's associates asked the staff to wash the house, starting from the front. Chauhan said he stopped the operation when he learned about the request and ordered the collection of applicable charges. Kalal stated that the MLA paid 2,700 rupees towards the expenses.

Reactions

Congress president of the Dahod City unit, Rajesh Raval, questioned the deployment of the vehicle for cleaning when local residents were only getting municipal water once every two days. Raval also asked who would have been responsible if a real emergency had occurred while the vehicle was at the house, and he demanded action against those responsible. Media reports noted that Khabad was away from home for medical treatment and recovering from a major surgery at the time. Municipal officials stated they are investigating the circumstances of the call and the deployment.

Background

Khabad was dropped from the Gujarat cabinet in October 2025 during Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's cabinet reshuffle. In May 2025, his sons Balvantsinh and Kiran Khabad were arrested in connection with an alleged 71 crore rupee irregularity in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme projects in Dahod and Dhanpur talukas between January 2021 and December 2024. Officials stated that 35 firms allegedly siphoned off funds using fake work completion certificates and invoices. Kiran Khabad's firm, Shri Raj Construction, allegedly received nearly 30 crore rupees, while the firm owned by Balvant and Kiran Khabad received 82 lakh rupees for supplying goods. The case emerged after an inquiry by the district rural development authority, and a Lokpal committee was tasked with examining the matter.

Context

Emergency vehicles like fire tenders are meant strictly for public safety and disaster response rather than private household chores. When municipal resources are diverted for personal use, it often raises public anger, especially in areas facing water scarcity or service shortages. Local authorities are expected to ensure that public machinery funded by taxpayers remains available for community emergencies at all times.