Priyanka Gandhi asserted there was no dictatorship in the Congress unlike the BJP (File)
Bhopal:
A war of words broke out between Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who targeted each other over the implementation of public welfare schemes in the state.
While Ms Gandhi accused Shivraj Chouhan of misleading people and asserted that there was no dictatorship in the Congress unlike the BJP, the Chief Minister asked why public welfare schemes of his government were stopped when the Kamal Nath-led Congress dispensation was in power in the state.
Kamal Nath, who is the Congress’s Madhya Pradesh chief, also hit out at Mr Chouhan, accusing him of using inappropriate language against the Gandhi family, and said his party does not give false promises.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Shivraj Chouhan targeted the Congress and Priyanka Gandhi over the party’s promises of free education and cash incentives to students in Madhya Pradesh and alleged that Kamal Nath was cheating the Gandhi family by forcing them to make false announcements.
Taking to social media platform ‘X’, Ms Gandhi on Friday said while her party was talking about education and children, those who divert people’s attention seemed to understand something else.
“Shivraj ji, this is the rule of good people that they respect elders. The Congress does not have dictatorship wherein the names of its leaders are not taken and issues are not heard,” she said.
The Congress leader said her party would provide scholarships to every child in Madhya Pradesh irrespective of caste, religion, and class under the scholarship scheme.
She promised that under the scholarship scheme, students of Classes 1 to 8 would be given Rs 500 per month, Class 9 and 10 Rs 1,000 per month, and Class 11 and 12 Rs 1,500 per month.
During her address at a public rally in Madhya Pradesh earlier, Ms Vadra predicted Shivraj Chouhan’s exit, saying that PM Modi was shying away from mentioning the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister’s name in his speeches in the state.
Mr Chouhan, while referring to her remarks made in the tribal-dominated Mandla district on October 12, said during a press conference on Friday, “Earlier the Gandhi family cheated everyone, but Kamal Nath is now cheating the Gandhi family. The way Priyanka Gandhi was asked to make an announcement, I have seen that video.”
He claimed that during her speech, Ms Gandhi announced that education in the state will be free for students in Classes 1 to 12 if her party comes to power, but Kamal Nath went up to her and asked her to make some corrections.
“Priyanka said, you speak, but Kamal Nath insisted that she only speak and then she started reading the speech and announced that from Classes 1 to 8, Rs 500 would be given, from Classes 8 to 10, Rs 1,000, and from Classes 10 to 12, Rs 1,500 would be given every year. Just then Randeep Surjewala walked up to Priyanka Gandhi and asked her to correct it to per month instead of per year,” he said.
“But madam pointed out that ‘per year’ was written in the speech… Just imagine, they first write something and ask her to read… See their seriousness. Then change it from ‘per year’ to ‘per month’. They don’t intend to do anything, neither give nor take. It is the Congress’s policy of confusing people for seeking votes,” Mr Chouhan alleged.
After Priyanka Gandhi’s remark on ‘X’, Mr Chouhan also took to the microblogging site on Friday night and said “Priyanka ji, I am not diverting attention, but drawing attention. People who are making you announce promises have a bad track record.”
The Chief Minister said Ms Gandhi should ask Kamal Nath why he stopped the schemes, including the distribution of laptops and bicycles to the students, when his government was in power in the state.
“Why were many public welfare schemes including those of school education stopped? And now I will keep reminding you from time to time which public welfare schemes were discontinued by your government,” he said.
Kamal Nath also hit back at Mr Chouhan saying, “After being marginalised in your own government and party, you are using extremely inappropriate language. Today you broke all limits of decorum and said that the Gandhi family has cheated the country. (You also said) Unke baap ka kya jata hai?”
The former Chief Minister said that Priyanka Gandhi’s father, about whom Mr Chouhan used such language, is Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi, who laid his life for the country.
“Her grandmother Indira Gandhi laid life for the country’s unity and integrity,” he said.
Claiming that his party does not give false promises, Kamal Nath said the entire country is proud of the Gandhi family because they know how to live and die for the country.
Elections to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly will be held on November 17, while the votes will be counted on December 3.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Hindkesharistaff and is published from a syndicated feed.)