With the poll battle heating up in Madhya Pradesh, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia has taken to Hindu mythology to attack Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, alleging he was "Kalyug's Mama" similar to the characters of 'Kansa' and 'Shakuni' mentioned in the Mahabharata.
Chouhan is popularly known as 'Mama' (maternal uncle) and he has often said that he endears this title that he earned by working for upliftment of women and girl child in the state as a dutiful brother to the women of Madhya Pradesh.
Kansa and Shakuni are two popular 'maternal uncles' from the Hindu mythology, who are mostly seen as negative characters. While Kansa was Lord Krishna's maternal uncle, Shakuni had the same relationship with Kauravas and Pandavas in the Mahabharata.
Addressing an election rally here late Thursday evening for the November 28 assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Scindia said this is the time to uproot the "corrupt government" that is ruling the state for 15 years now.
"Shivraj Singh Chouhan says he is mama (maternal uncle)...BJP says it is the sole protector of the Hindu religion...even if we agree to this, then what is written in religious books about the definition of mama?" Scindia asked.
"One was 'Kansa mama' who left no stone unturned to eliminate his nephew (Krishna). Second was 'Shakuni mama' who did everything to destroy the kingdom of Hastinapur and now in Kalyug, the third mama is sitting in Bhopal's Vallabh Bhawan (the state secretariat)," Scindia said at the 'budheybalaji' grounds in his parliamentary constituency.
The 47-year-old Congress leader also accused Chouhan of being anti-farmer and alleged the 'annadaata' (Hindi sobriquet for farmers who till the land and produce food) was shot at and killed in Mandsaur last year during protests and was cheated in the name of crop insurance.
"Farmers tell me...like the Jallianwala Bagh, farmers were killed in Mandsaur by the Shivraj government. The crop insurance scheme for farmers has also not helped. The amount is deducted from farmers account and sent to companies which are owned by businessmen friends of Shivraj. This amount is Rs 6,000 crore," Scindia alleged.
The BJP has earlier rejected these allegations.
Scinda said, "When the Congress government comes in power we will end the entire business of private companies and will ensure that this insurance is given by government companies."
He said, "The Congress... Shastri ji (former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri) gave the slogan 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' but the BJP's slogan is 'Mare Jawan, Mare Kisan'."
"Aisa koi saga nahi jisko inhone (Shivraj) thagaa nahin (There is no friend whom he has not betrayed)," said the Member of Parliament from Guna-Shivpuri.
Scindia, also the chief of the Congress campaign committee in the state, mimicked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's style of saying 'Mitron' to say that the "inspiration" for demonetisation of two higher denomination notes in 2016 by the central government was nothing but like following the popular ad slogan of a cold drink brand "aaj kuch toofani kartey hain" (Let's do something thunderous), attracting a roaring applause from the crowd.
Scindia, tipped to be one of the main contenders for the chief minister's post from his party, also talked about issues of rising fuel prices and fertiliser costs and said if voted to power, the Congress government will waive all farm loans in Madhya Pradesh within 10 days.
He also talked about the Vyapam scam of the state, saying it ensured that a talented child of a poor man does not get a government job but an incompetent one of a rich person gets it.
At another rally in Marki Mahu village of Guna, Scindia urged the voters to show their power by voting against the BJP on November 28.
The 230 seats of the state will vote in a single phase on November 28. The BJP has been ruling the state since 2003 with Chouhan being the chief minister for the most part of this time after he took over from his party colleague Babulal Gaur who had similarly taken over from Uma Bharti.
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