Datia (Madhya Pradesh): Congress Madhya Pradesh president Jitu Patwari made sharp remarks during the ongoing campaign for the Datia Assembly by-election in Madhya Pradesh on Monday.
He also warned the police and administration against any alleged bias or pressure during the election process.
‘This isn’t the old Congress’
Addressing a public meeting in Ravari village, Patwari said that if the administration tried to target Congress workers, the party would respond strongly.
Patwari also questioned the transfer of police officers in Datia, alleging that nine station in-charges (TIs) had been replaced.
He said, “Prashasan ne agar ungli bhi dikhai to ye Congress purani wali nahi bachi hai. Ye nai daur ki Congress hai. Jayvardhan ki, Hemant Katare ki aur karyakartao ki Congress hai. Hamein haath jodna bhi aata hai aur haath todna bhi aata hai.”
“(This is not the old Congress anymore. This is the new Congress of Jayvardhan, Hemant Katare and party workers. We know how to fold our hands and we also know how to break our hands),” he said.
‘25 ministers to loot democracy’
Patwari further alleged that 25 BJP ministers had entered the campaign in Datia and that criminals and suspects were also campaigning alongside them.
He said, “25 mantri lage hain sarkar ke yahan. Unko chote-chote 10-12 booth diye hain aur unko kaha hai apni dekh rekh mein paise batao, unki dekh rekh mein logon ko khareedo… Rakesh Shukla ji, unke sath kaun ghoom raha hai? Isi gaon ki beti ka hatyara.”
“Twenty-five ministers from the government have been deployed here. They have been assigned 10-12 small booths each and have been instructed to distribute money under their supervision and buy people’s support. Who is accompanying Rakesh Shukla ji? The person accused of killing the daughter of this very village,” he said.
‘Why transfers ahead of voting?’
Patwari also questioned the transfer of nine police station in-charges (TIs) in Datia that was carried out on Sunday.
He asked why the officers were replaced and whether former minister Narottam Mishra, who had brought them earlier, no longer trusted them.
The Congress leader further alleged that the newly appointed TIs could work in favour of the ruling party during the election.
He claimed that they could help in distributing liquor and money but did not provide any evidence to support his allegations.
Patwari’s remarks have intensified the political atmosphere ahead of the Datia by-election.
Congress has repeatedly raised concerns over the neutrality of the administration, while the BJP has rejected the allegations as baseless.
The statement is expected to trigger further political reactions as campaigning for the by-election continues.
