By L S Herdenia
BHOPAL: Can you imagine a Minister to stage Dharna against his own government? But such a strange and unprecedented incident has happened in Madhya Pradesh. Besides this two senior BJP leaders have raised their voice against the government. One such voice has been raised against central government and another against state government.
Madhya Pradesh minister for public works department Gopal Bhargava staged a sit-in in Sagar district demanding action against a forest ranger for harassing a tribal – husband of a Sarpanch – who died of heart attack later. He said the forest officer had seized his tractor and was harassing him that led to his death. After his Dharna, the district administration ordered a magisterial inquiry against the forest ranger.
Meanwhile Congress was quick to latch on the situation attributing it to internal strife in BJP. Former minister Govind Singh said “BJP has sidelined Bhargava and chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has reduced his position to number 3 in the party. He is venting out his frustration by sitting on Dharna”.
After the death of the tribal, his family along with other villagers staged a protest along with the dead body. They demanded the immediate arrest of the ranger. Soon, Bhargava joined them. He threatened the administration to mobilise 10,000 people to launch bigger protest and called the district collector and superintendent of police.
Voice against the central government has been raised by senior BJP Lok Sabha member Ganesh Singh, Ganesh Singh has addressed a letter to 112 OBC members of parliament asking them to oppose proposed change in the definition of creamy layer. According to proposed changes salary and income by agriculture will be included while defining creamy layer. Ganesh Singh has urged MPs to apprise Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah with their views opposing the proposed changes. If salary is included in defining creamy layer a large number of OBC will be excluded from the category of eligible OBCs for availing reservation in jobs and educational institutions.
Another senior leader Bhavar Singh Shekhawat has raised two important issues. The first issue is that private hospitals are fleecing corona patients. They are charging exorbitant fees. The government should stop them from looting poor patients, He will launch agitation if the government fails to take suitable measures. He has also criticised Minister Tulsi Silawat for his failure to take care of problems of Indore. Silawat is a follower of Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Shekhawat also lashed at the Left-Right system for opening shops implemented in the city due to Covid-19 and demanded its immediate revocation.
“The district administration should stop harassing businessmen in the name of corona virus” he told reporters.
He stated that the business activities have been badly hit due to Covid-19 in last five months. “Shopkeepers and traders have faced huge losses in these months. Now, all businesses should be allowed to function normally, but the Left-Right system of opening of shops is harassing the shopkeepers further” Shekhawat stated.
He stated that if the salary of government officers is withheld for five months then they will come to know how difficult it is to run one’s house without income.
“Instead of facilitating business activities, the officials are making it all the more difficult for businessmen to run their establishments. This should stop or else they will take to the streets and I will join them” he stated.
Shekhawat stated that it’s well established fact that lockdown can’t eradicate corona virus disease. “The disease is going to stay until a vaccine is developed. So, at least in the name of Covid-19 don’t finish off businesses” he stated.
He also lambasted at the officers over their decision of not letting vendors selling their products on handcarts in commercial area.
“Have officers become so insensitive that they now have started targeting poor vendors who earn peanuts after working hard all day,”?” he said adding that he was surprised that local public representative are letting all this happen.
It may be noted here that controversies are causing embarrassment to the BJP which has to face by-polls in 26 vidhan sabha constituencies.
Yet another controversy has been caused by the announcement made by Prakash Ambedkar that his party will set up candidates in all the 26 constituencies where by elections are likely to be held in the month of September.
After making a major dent in the vote share of established political parties in Maharashtra during the 2019 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls, Prakash Ambedkar’s newly formed Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) party is eyeing to make its presence felt in Sanver, Agar-Malwa and Nepanagar assembly seats that are reserved for the Scheduled Caste in upcoming by polls.
The party’s state election in-charge Mahesh Choubey held a meeting with the Indore wing and discussed their strategies for the Sanver by polls.
Choubey claimed that after playing a vital role in the 2019 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls in Maharashtra, his VBA party is working on strengthening its base in Madhya Pradesh and therefore is also approaching local parties other than BJP and Congress to contest the upcoming by polls by forming an alliance with them. Choubey said the party will soon declare its candidates and expects huge support from the followers of Dr. Ambedkar along with people who want to see a positive change in the society. (IPA Service)