Modi’s M.P. Visits Part Of BJP Plan To Secure Tribal, Dalit Votes

By L. S. Herdenia

BHOPAL: BJP in general and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular are paying maximum attention to Dalits and Tribals of Madhya Pradesh, who constitute more than one third Vidhan Sabha seats. This is clear by the fact that the Prime Minister has paid two visits to the state in just within a month. During his first visit he announced several schemes for tribals and during his second visit he announced several schemes for Dalits. This included laying the foundation of a temple for Sant Ravidas, who is worshipped by Dalits. Addressing a huge gathering, he claimed that Dalits, Tribals and backward classes are getting maximum benefits from his government’s welfare schemes.

Modi paid floral tributes to Saint Ravidas at Badtuma, about 10 kms from the Sagar district headquarters, where the proposed temple will be built. He offered prayers and chanted mantras for the saint. He further promised that one and half years later, he would come to inaugurate the temple. “Sant Ravidas will give me that opportunity,” he said.

On February 8 this year, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the construction of a Rs. 100 crore temple and museum dedicated to Sant Ravidas. The government allotted 11 acres of land for this.

With barely three months left for the assembly election, the PM’s temple foundation function is being seen as part of BJP’s effort to woo the 18% Dalit vote base in the state. There are 35 SC reserved seats. In 2013, BJP won 28 of these, but in 2018 its tally dropped to 18 while Congress gained, notching up a tally of 17. Also in 2018, the BJP faced a rout in the 47 tribal reserved seats, with Congress winning 31 and BJP left with just 16 – 15 seats less than 2013.

The BJP is on an overdrive to woo both the communities. The PM’s last visit to MP (on July 1) was to the tribal-dominated Shahdol.

On Saturday, Modi’s meetings in Dhana focused only on how his government has benefitted SC/ST/OBC’s. His speech was different in that he attacked the Congress just twice, without mentioning the party or its leaders. “Dalits, backwards and tribals are getting maximum benefits of welfare schemes. You know that earlier governments only brought schemes during election season but our belief is that at every stage in life we should stand with Dalits, backwards, tribals and women. That we can support their hopes and expectations,” the PM said, claiming that the BJP is the only party which does maximum to ensure their wellbeing.

Meanwhile, the BJP gave a surprise to the Congress by filing FIRs against Priyanka Gandhi and Kamal Nath over 50 percent commission barb at BJP government. Cases have been registered under IPC sections 469 (forgery for the cause of harming reputation) 500 (defamation) and 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamation).

“Let them file FIRs. How many FIRs can they file?” a combative Nath told reporters when told that complaints had been filed.

On Friday Priyanka had tweeted “An association of contractors in Madhya Pradesh has written a letter to the Chief Justice of the high court complaining that payment of dues is received only after paying 50% commission in the state. The corrupt BJP government in Karnataka used to collect 40% commission. In Madhya Pradesh BJP has broken its own record”. Nath was amongst the Congress leaders who re tweeted it.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the letter is fake. “Confusion is being spread. The address on the letter is nowhere to be found. Neither is the person nor the organisation” he said.

“Congress thought that the 40% commission tactic worked in Karnataka, so they tried out 50% here. It’s fake. They are doing it as part of a dangerous strategy” the CM said, adding that he had the letter checked out by the intelligence and it turned out to be a complete fraud.

Minister for medical education Vishwas Sarang and other BJP leaders filed a complaint with the crime branch in Bhopal. In Indore, the party’s legal cell filed the complaint.

“Imagine the kind of mentality that does this kind of politics,” home minister Narottam Mishra said. “Congress’s politics in Madhya Pradesh is based on false claims. In the last elections, Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh made Rahul Gandhi make a false promise of waiving farmloans up to Rs. 2 lakh. And now, based on a fake letter, they got Priyanka Gandhi to tweet”. He asked Congress to give proof of the contractors’ association and the person who wrote the letter and warned of a legal action.

State BJP president VD Sharma accused Congress of ‘‘manufacturing fake letters”. This kind of conspiracy will not happen in Madhya Pradesh. BJP will take strict and punitive action. Priyanka Gandhi will have to clarify why a fake letter has been used to malign BJP’s image” Sharma said.

Asked about the complaint, PCC chief Kamal Nath told media persons: “There are thousands of instances of corruption. How many FIRs can they file”?

State Congress MLA PC Sharma hit out at BJP by saying that worse has happened than the 50% commission. “There have been cases where work was not done yet full payment was made and the money got distributed,” Sharma told reporters. “They want to register an FIR. Let them do it, we are ready. How many FIRs will they register and against how many people” he asked. (IPA Service)