"It is unfortunate and a matter of great regret that some vested interests are indulging in false campaign against Chief Minister by stating that he had made some comment against temple priests and heads of other religious places. It is a conspiracy to defame him," Madhya Pradesh Public Relations Minister Rajendra Shukla said today.
"We are committed to protect different religions, their traditions and rituals. The state government will ensure religious tolerance and harmony and it will save cultural nationalism and its traditions at all costs," Shukla said.
Shukla clarified the government's position in the backdrop of controversy that Madhya Pradesh government was mulling over training Dalits as priests and the same was attributed to Chouhan.