U’khand CM may step in to defuse Maharaj-Kaushik tension

DEHRADUN: Chief minister TS Rawat is likely to intervene in the ongoing tiff between Cabinet ministers Satpal Maharaj and Madan Kaushik for resolving the Haridwar clash that has embarrassed the BJP government.

Sources in the BJP claim party national president Amit Shah directed Rawat to settle the matter at the earliest.

Both Cabinet ministers are not sharing positive vibes since August after sanitation workers supporting Haridwar mayor Manoj Garg, a confidant of Kaushik, dumped garbage outside the ashram of Maharaj in Haridwar. Maharaj is minister in-charge of Haridwar, while Kaushik is Haridwar (city) MLA.

Maharaj raised this issue in at least two meetings with Shah. The sources quoted him saying ‘What’s the point of Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan when garbage was dumped at our doorstep’? Shah took the allegation seriously and discussed it with BJP state president Ajay Bhatt and Rawat. Shah was disappointed with Kaushik on learning his involvement, one of the sources said.

“During the core committee meeting, Shah didn’t allowed Kaushik to speak and said, ‘Madan Lal, tumhe kuch nahi pata (Madan Lal, you don’t know anything),” the source told Hindustan Times. In the same meeting, Kaushik was cut short several times, hinting Shah’s displeasure.

While Bhatt claims that a disciplinary committee is considering the matter, he told HT a few days ago that neither sanitary workers who dumped garbage outside the ashram nor the ashram devotees are members of the party. He said the party cannot act against these members, making clear that the issue cannot be resolved without the government’s intervention and added that the party cannot stop them from fighting legal battle.

On Friday, Maharaj told HT that he was hopeful of getting justice. “Without the direction of a senior person, sanitary workers couldn’t have moved even an inch. I raised my voice before Shahji and demanded justice. I am hopeful I will get.”

“Kaushik told me once the Congress dumped garbage outside his residence in Haridwar. This doesn’t mean he will do the same.”

But Kaushik, who was at Mizoram to attend an event, ruled out that there was any clash. “There’s no clash of ministers. The disciplinary committee is investigating the matter.”

Meanwhile, Maharaj is hoping for justice from Rawat. “Shah has hinted the CM to look into the matter. He won’t delay and will try to make peace between the two,” a party leader said.