Nobody should interfere in govt, allegations serious, says Scindia

Allegations by Madhya Pradesh forest minister Umang Singhar that former chief minister Digvijaya Singh was interfering in the state government are “serious” and CM Kamal Nath should look into them, senior Congress leader and former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Wednesday.

Scindia was responding to journalists’ questions on the sidelines of a programme in Gwalior where he also said “nobody should interfere” in the functioning of the state government.

“With a lot of difficulties and hard work, all party workers including myself have established the Congress rule in Madhya Pradesh. We aspired to create a new Madhya Pradesh which will have progress and development. The government should work in accordance with those hopes and aspirations,” he said.

Singhar has accused Singh of running the government from “behind the curtains,” and has written to interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi, alleging that Singh was trying to destabilise the state government. Singh said in response that Singhar should discuss his grievances with chief minister Kamal Nath, denying the allegations raised by the minister.

Scindia said, “The charges (levelled by Singhar) are serious. Both the sides should be made to sit. CM should listen to both- Umang Singhar ji and Digvijaya Singh ji. There is no ambiguity that government should run on its own strength. It should run in an independent manner and there should be no interference from anyone in the government.”

On Wednesday, some Congress workers burnt an effigy of Singhar outside his residence and raised slogans such as “Digvijaya Singh zindabad” and “Umang Singhar murdabad,” TV channel videos showed.  Congress media incharge Shobha Oza said she was not aware of any protest.

Singhar’s outburst came after Singh, a Rajya Sabha MP, wrote to all the ministers seeking an appointment with them to inquire about the action they had taken on his letters on various subjects, including transfers of government employees.

On Tuesday evening, CM Nath summoned the minister. A meeting between them lasted for about an hour or so. The forest minister refused to disclose what transpired in the meeting.

State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said, “At least the Congress leaders have started admitting that there is a war within the party among different factions. The BJP leaders have been saying it from the day one that Congress knows only one business i.e. running a transfer and posting industry. This is exactly [what is] happening now.”

First Published: Sep 05, 2019 01:49 IST