Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state Congress chief Kamal Nath on Thursday traded barbs on social media over the use of the term ‘Madira Pradesh’ (liquor state) for Madhya Pradesh in context of the new liquor policy announced by the Chouhan government on Sunday.
Home Minister Narottam Mishra also attacked Nath on the issue while BJP workers, led by ex-minister Paras Jain, burnt an effigy of the state Congress chief in Ujjain.
Political temperatures have already gone up by several notches with the start of Assembly election year in the state and Chouhan and Nath, who is also an ex-CM, have been hurling cross questions at each other over failed promises on a daily basis for almost a month now.
However, the verbal duel escalated on Thursday with the CM saying that Nath had insulted the 8.5 crore “innocent, hardworking, sincere, duty-bound and patriotic” people of MP by calling the state ‘Madira Pradesh’.
Chouhan was referring to statement of Nath on Wednesday at Chhindwara where the ex-chief minister, while talking on the proposed 2023-24 liquor policy of the state, had said that under Chouhan government MP had become ‘Madira Pradesh’ as liquor was cheap and food grains were expensive here.
Nath shot back at Chouhan on Twitter asking the CM to rack his memory and remember that the term (Madira Pradesh) had been originally used by him (Chouhan).
Nath obviously referred to a tweet of Chouhan on January 12, 2020, wherein the latter has said, “The Congress government of Kamal Nath ji has taken a destructive decision of turning Madhya Pradesh into Madira Pradesh. They want to drown the state in alcohol addiction by opening sub-shops with liquor shops in every village”. Chouhan had also used the hashtag ‘Madhya Pradesh ya Madira Pradesh’ with his tweet. A screenshot of this tweet was shared by Piyush Babele, media advisor to MP Congress and Kamal Nath on Twitter.
Chouhan had reacted angrily to Nath’s statement of Wednesday, saying “Kamal Nath ji has no affection for the soil of Madhya Pradesh, its culture and traditions. He is not connected to the roots of the state…Do not insult the people. If you are opposed to us, you may abuse us, but we will not tolerate the insult to Madhya Pradesh. The BJP government has come out with the excise policy keeping the public sentiment and honour of mothers and sisters in mind. It is to discourage addiction. You had decided then (during Congress government) that liquor contractors will be able to open sub-shops by paying extra. You had decided to open separate liquor shops for women and make liquor available online. Your policy was made under pressure from contractors…we have decided to close down the ahaatas as per public sentiment and to safeguard women. You should have respect for Madhya Pradesh. But you have insulted the state and the people will not tolerate this.”
Nath came out with a reply in a series of three tweets, saying “Shivraj ji, you have become a victim of tremendous illusion. Earlier you said that you will ask a false question about the Vachan Patra (Congress manifesto) everyday. But sometimes you ask questions and sometimes you forget. The question you have asked today has nothing to do with the Vachan Patra. This means that you are completely satisfied with the rest of the Vachan Patra of the Congress. Secondly, you have objected to the word 'Madira Pradesh'. But you yourself had used this word for Madhya Pradesh. You were running a whole campaign for Madira Pradesh. Rack your brain, everything will be remembered. Thirdly, your government has almost doubled the number of liquor shops in Madhya Pradesh by opening joint shops of country liquor and foreign liquor. Your policy is clear, expensive ration and cheap liquor. Apologize to the people of Madhya Pradesh for your policy of door-to-door delivery of liquor.”
