Bhopal: Hariharanand Maharaj and Bhaiyuji Maharaj have refused to accept the Minister of State (MoS) status conferred on them by the Madhya Pradesh government. The grant of MoS status to five ‘Babas’ and their inclusion in a committee constituted to conserve River Narmada has created a controversy with opposition Congress slamming it as a move to score political points and a tactic to cover scams.
Stating that he has not yet received any order about MoS status being given to him, spiritual leader Bhaiyuji Maharaj said that even if he receives the order he will not accept the MoS status. He said he is a common man and wishes to work in the similar fashion. “A post holds no importance for a saint.
All he has ought to think of is service to the people. When a post or status does not touch your mind, intellect or conscience, why think about it, said Bhaiyuji Maharaj. He said that though there was no question of disrespecting anyone, it was sure that he would neither share any stage with anyone nor participate in any event. Bhaiyyu Maharaj said he had no fondness for a particular party or community and his only emphasis was on nationalism.
He is one of the five saints who are members of a special committee to spread public awareness on conservation of Narmada river and plantation drive and who have been given the MoS status. Meanwhile, sources said that Hariharanand Maharaj from Amarkantak has also conveyed to the state government that he does not want any MoS status. The grant of MoS status to Computer Baba and Yogendra Mahant has made other religious leaders and sants unhappy.
A day after being accorded the MoS status, the two religious leaders have cancelled their proposed campaign against the alleged scam in the Madhya Pradesh government’s Narmada conservation programme. Computer Baba had earlier announced to 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 river and to demand a ban on illegal sand mining. The grant of MoS status to them is being seen as a move by government to placate them.
On the other hand, leader of opposition Ajay Singh has alleged that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is doing bargaining to put a cover on the scams taking place during his tenure. Singh alleged that Chief Minister has constituted a special committee special committee to spread public awareness on conservation of Narmada river and plantation drive just to woo the ‘Babas’, who unearthed the plantation scam on bank of Narmada.
Singh accused that the committee is a black stain on the image of Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Singh claimed that it also proves that a big scam took place in the name of planting 6.67 saplings during Narmada Seva Yatra and for setting into Guinness Book of World Record. Leader of Opposition alleged that chief minister Shivraj Singh has started misusing his post and doing bargaining.
He alleged that the Chief Minister has started a hateful chapter in state politics by offering sops to the ‘Babas’, who were to take out a Yatra against the plantation scam. Singh accused that chief minister after his 12 years of tenure, has started behaving like Nawabs and has launched a type of campaign to loot and sell the state.
Singh alleged that Chief minister did bargaining with the Babas and it also shows that he also did bargaining to save himself from the heat of Vyapam and Dumper scams. Leader of opposition alleged that the government, in its final stage, is taking decision under frustration, which the people of the state will never forgive.
