Bhopal, Jan 23 (IANS) Political barbs over bureaucrats acting at the behest of the ruling BJP continued in poll bound Madhya Pradesh. The opposition Congress said that the officials visiting RSS shakhas would be asked to explain once the party formed the government.
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Kanti Lal Bhuria on Monday claimed that many officials were doing double duty — daytime in the office and night time at RSS shakhas. He made this statement while responding to the BJP’s accusation of Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath ‘threatening’ bureaucrats.
Bhuria said Kamal Nath has more experience of governance than Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. “He has a long experience of Central government and has more experience of bureaucracy than CM Chouhan, and if he (Nath) is saying something, it means he knows the reality. Kamal Nath does not make political statements like Shivraj.”
Bhuria said the Congress would create a dignified workable atmosphere and also honour those working honestly. “But those who attend office during the day, and visit RSS shakhas at night will be asked to reply,” Bhuria added.
The exchange of barbs over this issue is not new in Madhya Pradesh. The fresh round began after Kamal Nath said during a rally that the BJP was using power and money to prosecute the Congress leaders and workers. Nath reiterated the allegation against the BJP often.
Nath had also said that the Congress was preparing a list of bureaucrats working at the behest of BJP leaders and they would be asked to explain once the Congress was back in power in the state.
The ruling BJP hit back at Kamal Nath accusing him of ‘threatening’ and ‘creating a panic’ situation for his political gain. On Monday, reacting to Kamal Nath’s remarks about preparing a list, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “Several people with this wish have come and gone. The RSS is an organisation of patriots. Such a process of personality building has started through this organisation that lakhs of volunteers are ready to live and die for the country.”
Taking a dig at Kamal Nath, Chouhan said that “as a senior politician, who has long experience, he should not speak such a language.”
–IANS
pd/bg