BJP, RSS are bullies and cowards: Digvijaya Singh

Rajya Sabha member and ex-chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Digvijaya Singh has become active on the ground level in Madhya Pradesh two years ahead of the 2023 assembly polls.

During his janjagran padyatras conducted as part of the programme by the Congress's national Committee for Sustained Agitation Programme, Singh recently visited the constituencies of state BJP chief Vishnu Dutt Sharma and home minister Narottam Mishra—both very active and vocal leaders— and attacked them on their home turfs, apart from constantly attacking Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

In Bhopal recently, in a shift from his attitude of ignoring comments made against him by junior leaders, he held a Ramdhun (non-violence) programme in response to BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma's viral video statement that the “knees of Congress members should be broken”.

People are drawing parallels between his current actions and his 192-day Narmada Parikrama in 2017-18, held ahead of the 2018 assembly polls. Though Singh reiterated that the Parikrama was a personal "non-political activity", it is well known that the ground connect he made during the initiative helped the Congress make a comeback in the assembly polls in a big way.

With the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindia, Digvijaya is considered the only leader in MP with groundswell of supporters in all corners of the state, due to the network created during his 10-year term as CM, preceded by 10 years as MPCC chief. His becoming active on the ground gives a fillip to political activities in the state.

Singh spoke to THE WEEK exclusively on various points, mainly on his views regarding the BJP and RSS.

Excerpts:

You have started janjagran padyatras in MP. Can we say it is an exercise aimed at the 2023 assembly polls, akin to the Narmada Parikrama before 2018 polls, as far as ground connect with people is concerned?

It is not my programme but what was prepared by the Committee for Sustained Agitational Programme which was discussed in CWC and approved. It was launched throughout the country on November 14. Narmada Parikrama was a personal non-political yatra.

Communal, divisive politics seems to have taken centrestage in the country and MP too. How do you plan to counter it? Your statements are often used by the BJP to cause controversy in this regard.

BJP is the political wing of RSS. Their agenda from 1925 has remained the same—that of a Hindu Rashtra in a Multi-Ethnic, Multi Religious society.This is a highly divisive strategy which is destroying the social fabric of India and which is totally against the very idea of India.

We have to expose their communal character and confront them head on.

Many felt (BJP MLA) Rameshwar Sharma baited you with his statements in Bhopal recently. Why did you engage with a junior leader?

It is not the stature of the person which counts but what he has said and how it affects the community. He made this highly violent provocative statement to intimidate Congress workers—a clear threat to Congress workers. Such a statement is an offence under the present law. How can we let it go unchallenged?

How do you plan to counter the populist display politics of BJP in MP as proven by the recent flurry of sops for tribal communities and the name changing spree?

BJP is becoming desperate as inflation is hitting their core support among middle class and poor. Their sops to tribals are more cosmetic than real.

Can you elaborate on how the Congress plans to counter this strategy?

Strategies are never made public.

The Congress seems to be focusing on tribal communities too, but is there plan to strategise for OBC communities, which is the biggest chunk in the state and may be other specific groups.

From day one, Congress policies have been pro poor and pro those sections who have historically been denied their basic rights by the feudal class. Be it dalits, tribals or OBCs.

Will it be difficult to fill the gap caused by Jyotiraditya Scindia's exit, so far as the younger leadership in the state is concerned?

No. There is no dearth of young bright leaders in the Congress.

How do you plan to stop the constant erosion of party leaders, especially elected or former people's representatives at crucial times (for eg. switch over just before polls)?

Modi-Amit Shah duo is on a shopping spree! They are openly purchasing leaders from non BJP parties.

Is 'one man one post' formula in the offing in MP Congress organisation too? Is there a need for having separate Leader of Opposition and MP Congress Committee chief?

It is for the Congress leadership to decide.

You, too say that your statements and campaign harm Congress's poll prospects. Are you evolving a counter strategy to that ahead of 2023, since you are a prime face of the party in MP?

I don’t say that. But this is a canard spread against me by BJP/RSS on a massive scale. I don’t mind that. Because, BJP believes in the theory, when you can’t argue “you abuse!!” This has been their strategy to demoralise their critics. I don’t care as I know they are just bullies and basically cowards.