After MoS status, two religious leaders cancel stir against MP govt's Narmada programme

A day after being accorded the 'Minister of State' (MoS) status, two religious leaders have cancelled their proposed campaign against an alleged scam in the Madhya Pradesh government's Narmada conservation programme.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan sought to downplay the controversy over grant of the MoS status to the 'saints', saying his government wanted to rope in people from all walks of life for welfare and development.

Ahead of the Assembly elections due later this year, the BJP government in MP yesterday accorded the MoS status to five Hindu religious leaders -- Narmadanand Maharaj, Hariharanand Maharaj, Computer Baba, Bhayyu Maharaj and Pandit Yogendra Mahant.

On March 31, the five religious leaders were appointed to a committee set up for the Narmada river conservation.

As members of the committee, they were being given the MoS status, an official of the General Administration Department had said yesterday.

Computer Baba had earlier announced that he would take out 'Narmada Ghotala Rath Yatra', along with Yogendra Mahant, in every district of MP from April 1 to May 15, to expose an alleged scam in planting of saplings on the banks of the Narmada and to demand action against illegal sand mining.

The publicity material of the campaign was also circulated widely on social media.

Computer Baba today said they have cancelled the campaign, because the state government has fulfilled their demand to form a committee of saints and seers for protection of the Narmada river.

"Now why would we take out the yatra?" he said.

On accepting government facilities meant for an MoS despite being a saint, he said, "If we do not get the post and other government facilities, how can we work for the protection of the Narmada?

"As a member of the committee, we have to talk to the district collectors and look after other necessary arrangements for the river's conservation. A government status is required for these works," he said.

Yogendra Mahant, who was the convener of the proposed campaign, also said that they cancelled the 'yatra' as the state government fulfilled their demand to set up a panel for the river conservation.

On March 31, these five religious leaders were appointed members of the 'Janjagrukta Abhiyan Samiti' (Public Awareness Campaign Committee) set up for the conservation of the Narmada.

The opposition Congress yesterday dubbed the decision to appoint them as MoS as the BJP's attempt to exploit the respect these religious leaders enjoy in the society.

The BJP hit back saying the opposition party disliked anything related to saints.

Asked by reporters as to why his government accorded the MoS status to religious leaders, Chief Minister Chouhan today said, "We want to associate people from all walks of life in the work towards development and welfare of the people. So we have made efforts to bring together all sections of the society."

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)