The Madhya Pradesh Congress, on Wednesday, submitted a memorandum to the state Director General of Police Sudhir Saxena, demanding stopping of “discriminatory, parallel law and order system being run by misuse of power (by the ruling BJP).”
The opposition party also called the communal incidents in different districts, including Khargone and Barwani, during the Ram Navami festival as a “failure of intelligence network and governance.” The Congress sought to know why law and order could not be maintained when it was known that festivals were coming up and various religious events and processions were planned. It seemed that the police were working under political pressure, the party alleged.
The Congress said it is the responsibility of the government, ruling party as well as opposition to initiate effective steps to ensure social harmony, but the state home minister (Narottam Mishra) was himself making provocative statements to worsen the situation.
A delegation led by former chief of MP Congress, Arun Yadav, met the DGP and urged him to ensure that steps are taken to ensure communal harmony in the state, no discriminatory action is initiated against any community and equal treatment should be meted out. They also demanded constitution of a committee to probe into the deteriorating communal situation in the state.
Later, speaking to media, Yadav said “We urged the DGP to save the state and to tighten up the law and order that is in shambles. Double standards are being followed in the state, so we urged the DGP to correct the system.’
In the memorandum, the Congress also raised questions on the discriminatory action of registering FIRs on Congress leaders and workers without any basic inquiry, whereas no or flimsy action was taken against those linked to the ruling BJP. “This indicates that a parallel law and order system, constitution and judiciary are being run in the state,” the Congress memorandum said.
The memorandum cited examples of incidents where action was not taken against those linked to the ruling party. This included hurling of stone at a liquor shop in Bhopal by BJP leader Uma Bharti, not arresting the owner of the cow shelter in Berasia of Bhopal where nearly 100 cows died owing to negligence, and no action against a minister whose name has come to fore as the one who booked a room by the rape accused Mahant Sitaram in Rewa government guest house.
Even a lakh FIRs don’t matter: Digvijaya Singh
Meanwhile, Congress Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh, against whom at least two FIRs were registered (in Bhopal and Narmadapuram) for posting fake photograph on the Khargone communal incident, said even if a lakh FIRs were registered against them for trying to spread amity and harmony, it would not matter to him. Singh said the BJP was running an agenda against the country.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Vishnu Dutt Sharma said Singh will be arrested for his tweet and alleged that the Congress leader always supported disruptive elements.
Later, Singh posted a series of tweets saying he deleted the controversial photograph after getting to know that it was not from Madhya Pradesh, but his basic question on the logic of the action of putting up flags on a religious place while carrying arms, remained.
He said he wanted to ask whether it was a crime in this country to ask a question. “As leader of the opposition party, can’t we raise questions about the atmosphere being created against a section of people of state/country?” he asked. Singh also raised questions on bulldozing of properties without due notice or probe and asked whether democracy would run by one-sided political ideology.
“Can’t the people sitting on the highest positions of the system see what the entire country can see plainly? The people who are making provocative speeches, those who are sexually exploiting women – why there is no FIR/bulldozer/action against them?” Singh asked.
He said he is always against the ideology of frenzy and hate and will keep fighting against it. “Those who feel I am right should connect with us and stand up against the system oppressed by greed and fear.”
