Madhya Pradesh govt involved in 250 scams in 225 months, says Priyanka Gandhi

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh of being involved in “more than 250 scams during its regime of 225 months”. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi greets party workers in Madhy Pradesh’s Mandla drict on Thursday. Addressing a public meeting in tribal dominated Mandla drict, more than 400 km east of state capital Bhopal, she also accused the government of being involved in corruption in every scheme meant for tribals. “Stop giving shoes, slippers and umbrellas to tribals and give them their rights including bonus on tendu leaves collection that was started at the initiative taken (former prime miner) late Indira Gandhi,” she said. Beginning her speech with salutation to ‘Ma Narmada’ and Lord Shiva, she alleged, “As many as 1.5 lakh girls and women are missing. There are 17 rapes daily… Madhya Pradesh is no. 1 in atrocities on tribals. The schemes meant for tribals and dalits like MNREGA have been stopped. There are scams in nutritious food, scholarships, recruitment exams etc. One wonders how many people died in the Vyapam scam. Shoes and slippers are being dributed among tribals only due to commission in it. Ironically, people here face bullets when they stage a protest.” Repeatedly mentioning the schemes of the governments in Congress ruled Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, she said ₹4,000 per gunnysack would be given to the tribals on tendu leaves collection if the Congress is voted to power. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana are headed for assembly elections in November with results set to be declared on December 3. Underlining the Congress’ guarantees like ₹1,500 per month to every woman, an LPG cylinder for ₹500, old pension scheme for government personnel, resumption of farm loan waiver scheme, 27% reservation to OBC once it’s voted to power, Priyanka Gandhi said the party would also give ₹500 per month per head to students from Class 1 to 8, ₹1,000 per month to students of Class 9 and 10 and ₹1,500 per month per head to students of Class 11 and 12. This is a fresh poll promise from the Congress, which has already announced five guarantees for the Madhya Pradesh polls, slated for November 17. “I know you have come to see me as my face bears some resemblance to my grandmother late Indira Gandhi whom you fondly called Indira Mata. But there is something more why you adored her i.e. deep trust in her. This is why, there is a bigger responsibility on myself to take forward her work for you with a feeling of trust and honesty”, she added. She stressed the need for a caste census in the country like the chief miner Nitish Kumar led government has done in Bihar and alleged that the central government was opposed to it as it didn’t want justice to the OBC, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, whose cumulative figure, she said, turned out to be 84% in Bihar. Priyanka Gandhi’s election meeting in tribal dominated Mandla drict on Thursday assumed much significance as it came barely a week after Prime Miner Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a memorial named after Gond queen Rani Durgawati, at Jabalpur, which also falls in Mahakoshal region. Earlier, she visited another tribal dominated drict Dhar on October 5. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited tribal dominated Shahdol drict, not far from Mandla’ recently. Both the Congress and the BJP have locked horns in wooing the tribals ahead of the assembly elections. In the 2018 state polls, the Congress won 30 seats out of the 47 seats reserved for tribals in the 230-member Assembly, whereas the BJP won 16 seats. In the 2013 elections, they had won 15 and 31 reserved seats, respectively. “Exciting news! Hindustan Times is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!” Click here!