Will take to streets if promises in Congress manifesto not met: Jyotiraditya Scindia challenges Kamal Nath government
BHOPAL: In an embarrassment to the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, ex-union minister and senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia has announced taking to streets in the state, if the long pending demand of protesting Atithi Shikshak (guest faculties) isn't met.
"I heard your (guest faculties) demand earlier also and supported it. Fulfilment of your demand forms part of our 2018 assembly polls manifesto, just have patience as our manifesto is a sacred book for us. But if the assurances in the manifesto aren’t fulfilled, I'll join you on the streets for taking up your cause. Always remember I'll be your sword as well as shield if the assurances made in the manifesto aren't fulfilled," said Scindia, while addressing a public gathering in Tikamgarh district on Thursday.
A day later in Ashok Nagar district (a part of Guna Lok Sabha seat, which he lost in 2019 Lok Sabha polls) on Friday, Scindia repeated his promise of taking to streets against his own party government if the guest faculties' long-pending demand for regularisation of services isn't fulfilled.
Around 5000 Atithi Shikshaks (guest faculties) of colleges in MP have been holding protests in Bhopal for over two months now in support of their demand.
Just a few days back, Sanjay Kumar, a guest faculty-cum-sports officer of a government college had hanged self to death under severe stress in Umaria district.
Regularising services of guest faculties formed an important part of Congress manifesto for 2018 assembly polls, but hardly anything has been done for it by the Kamal Nath government for more than a year now.
Reacting to Scindia's "will take to street" remarks, senior MP cabinet minister Dr Govind Singh (considered close to ex-CM Digvijaya Singh) said "being a senior leader, he (Scindia) needs to talk to CM instead of taking to the street. He needs to understand the financial condition of the state, before making such statements."
However, the Opposition was quick to take potshots at the state government. BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said In Indore on Friday, "Scindia has exposed what the Congress government is actually doing to fulfill it's poll promises."
On Thursday only, Scindia had also termed Congress’s performance in the Delhi Assembly polls as “highly disappointing” and added there was an urgent need for new thinking, new ideology and new working approach in the party.
Meanwhile, sources within the Congress party’s state unit confided that the recent statements by Scindia could be a well-thought ploy to pressurize the party leadership in making him the MP Congress chief or sending him to Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh in the April elections to the upper house of the Parliament.
Scindia is particularly crucial for the party in Gwalior-Chambal region and parts of Malwa-Nimar, especially in light of the fact that by-poll has necessitated to Jaura Assembly seat of Gwalior-Chambal region following the death of sitting Congress MLA Banwari Lal Sharma last month.