BHOPAL: Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia camp on Monday launched a scathing attack on Rajya Sabha member and former chief minister Madhya Pradesh Digvijaya Singh releasing copy of a letter purportedly written by Singh’s ancestors expressing their allegiance with the British.
BJP leaders’ onslaught came in response to Singh’s recent comments without naming Scindia that his betrayal with the Congress was expected given his ancestors betrayal with the country to favour the British during the freedom struggle.
Earlier, Scindia had refused to comment on Digvijaya Singh’s remarks saying he would not like to stoop low to react on such absurd and baseless comments.
Digvijaya Singh’s attack on Scindia that came after the latter’s recent visit to Singh’s home turf Raghogarh was in reference to his (Scindia’s) act of leaving the Congress to join the BJP along with 22 of Congress MLAs, most of whom are loyal to him, in March 2020.
Scindia and MLAs’ act had led to the then Congress government headed by Kamal Nath losing its majority on the floor of the state assembly and BJP forming its government again after a period of 15 months.
Talking to news persons on Monday at the state BJP office state BJP spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi who has been associated with Scindia for a long time and another BJP leader Durgesh Keswani alleged, “The history of Digvijay Singh's family is full of treachery. His ancestors always supported the Mughals and the British. It is recorded in history. This is not just the allegation but Digvijay Singh's father late Balabhadra ji himself had written a letter demanding special facilities in exchange for his family's dedication to the British and betrayal to the country.”
Therefore, they said, Digvijay Singh had no right to make any untrue, baseless and baseless allegations.
“Digvijay Singh should remember his history before making any rhetoric (on Scindias)”, said the leaders.
Chaturvedi asked Digvijay Singh when the whole country was fighting for the freedom what was Digvijaya Singh’s father Balabhadra Singh’s role in it.
“Did he not demand special services and facilities in return for his surrender to the British and betrayal with the country? asked Chaturvedi and said Balabhadra ji had in his letter on September 16, 1939 written that ‘My ancestors have rendered ample services to the British Government in 1779 and now I consider it my duty to render my services to you with my loyalty’.
Chaturvedi said the letter was placed in an exhibition put up by the Archaeological Department in Bhopal in 2002 during the then chief minister Digvijay Singh himself.
Despite efforts Digvijaya Singh couldn’t be reached for his comments.
However, the state Congress spokesperson JP Dhanopia said, “We don’t believe in any such letter. It might have been a fabricated letter by the BJP leaders. Since the BJP leaders including Scindia are frustrated due to Digvijaya Singh’s statement over the history of Scindias they are levelling baseless allegations against our leader.”
