Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his predecessor Kamal Nath locked horns on Friday accusing their respective parties—Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress–of inciting riots.
The war of words started two days ago after a video of Kamal Nath, who participated in an Iftar programme in Chhindwara on Wednesday, went viral on social media. In the programme, he said, “These people (BJP) want to incite riots in the country. You people take care of Chhindwara, let me take care of the whole state.”
Reacting to his comment, Chouhan on Friday said, “In the hunger for votes, you (Kamal Nath) have become so mad that you want to throw Madhya Pradesh into the abyss of unrest and disharmony. Do you wish in your heart that riots should break out?”
Replying to the chief minister, Kamal Nath, also the state Congress chief, tweeted, “You have called me mad. The whole world is watching how the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh is behaving? All the civilization, dignity and rituals within him have ended. He is speaking the language of street goons.”
Addressing media persons in Bhopal, Chouhan said, “I am surprised with the statements of the veteran Congress leader and former chief minister. Even before 2018 elections, Kamal Nath was saying that why 90% votes are not cast at the polling booths of Muslims? Get that done or else there will be a loss. Do they only work for vote bank? Now, day before yesterday, he was informing a community that riots are breaking out in the country and the state.”
“When there was Covid 19, he was happy to see the bodies. This cheap politics will not do any good to Madhya Pradesh. We saw that even on Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti, our Muslim brothers and sisters welcomed us by showering flowers at many places. He does not like this harmony. We will not let Madhya Pradesh to be thrown by you in the fire of riots. Peace and tranquility will prevail here,” he added.
Nath said, “I am sad that a person with such frustrated thoughts is sitting on the chair of the chief minister of a great state like Madhya Pradesh. Being the chief minister of such a person is an insult to the eight crore people of the state. But I assure you that your conspiracy will not succeed. Shivraj ji, Madhya Pradesh was and will remain an island of peace. But you have disturbed the peace of Madhya Pradesh during your 18 years of misrule.”