MP News letter
MP News letter
By Adhitya Srinivasan
Ajay Singh, Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly and son of the late Arjun Singh, recently challenged Prabhat Jha, MP and BJP state president to contest polls from his constituency in Churhat. The statement was made in the backdrop of Prabhat Jha claiming that the BJP would return to power in Madhya Pradesh in 2013. Now, Prabhat Jha, unlike Ajay Singh, is not the kind of politician who owes his place and position to dynasty. It would appear a tad unfair to challenge anyone to contest against Ajay Singh in his personal fiefdom. That said, Ajay Singh should be careful what he asks for. If the strength of the BJP organisation in the state is anything to go by, he might just end up losing the seat.
Diggy Exposed
Former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh is in the habit of making bizarre statements and not being able to back them up. The latest in this series was his allegation that the MP Lokayukta, PP Navlekar, had sold out to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. In fact he went to the extent of saying that the MP Government had forged the signature of the then Leader of Opposition, Jamuna Devi on the consent letter relating to Navlekar’s appointment. However, The Pioneer, reports that his claims were rebutted when a photograph surfaced showing the Chief Minister, Navlekar and Jamuna Devi standing together on the day of the Lokayukta’s oath-taking ceremony. (Is Digvijay Singh keen to return to state politics? 12.11.2011) So why did Jamuna Devi attend the ceremony if she did not approve of Navlekar? And if Digvijay Singh was lying, will he apologise?
Congress Style Communalisation
In May 2011, the Madhya Pradesh government decided to introduce teachings of the Gita in school curriculum. Pseudo-secularists opposed the move tooth and nail and pointed to the move as reflecting the government’s attempt to saffronise the education system. Months later Ajay Singh accused the government of implementing the RSS agenda. This is a lot of hogwash. Anyone who has read even a paragraph from the Gita would know that there are no religious connotations and that it is in essence, a moral text. If this is so, then the Congress’ insistence that introducing the Gita is an example of saffronisation is really an attempt to communalise an otherwise secular text. Won’t anyone from the ‘secular’ establishment speak out?
In-house Corruption
While addressing a crowd at Shahdol, Ajay Singh claimed that corruption by BJP ministers and leaders would become a major issue during the 2013 assembly elections. It certainly will be an issue. People will be informed about the 2G Spectrum Scam, the Commonwealth Games Scam, the Adarsh Society Scam, among others. They will be told, no doubt, that the Congress and its allies in the Centre have systematically looted the wealth of the country. Besides, in Madhya Pradesh itself, the Deputy Speaker and senior Congress leader, Harvansh Singh has been accused of misusing his MLA Development Fund by distributing water tankers bearing his name. If the Congress is capable of corruption while out of power, the people of Madhya Pradesh can only imagine the prospects of corruption should the Congress ever return to power.
Remembering Chandrashekhar Azad
The birthplace of veteran freedom fighter and martyr Chandrashekhar Azad in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh has been renamed Azad Nagar in recognition of the contribution made by Azad. This accomplishes an announcement made by the Chief Minister in January 2007. The re-naming ceremony was held recently amidst the presence of thousands of students and youth who had flocked to be a part of the momentous occasion. Several senior ministers from the Chouhan cabinet attended the ceremony and recalled the great sacrifices made by freedom fighters for the country. The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) thanked the State Government for recognising the contribution of Azad to the freedom movement.
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