Day before Computer Baba’s meet: Sants treated to dinner in Bhopal, Shivraj Singh Chouhan praised

Called Sant Sabha, the unscheduled meeting passed a pre-written resolution praising the CM, who has been in office for nearly 13 years. “There was a quiet conspiracy to convert people but under his leadership the Assembly passed the freedom of religion law to alert us against the danger. He passed the most stringent anti-cow slaughter law in the country,’’ read the unsigned resolution. “His commitment towards religion is not seasonal. It’s not that he visits temples only ahead of elections and sports a janeu (sacred thread),” it said, in an apparent dig at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

The resolution also referred to the Sachchar committee and Haj subsidy. It said Chouhan was the first chief minister to provide subsidy for pilgrimage to Hindu shrines abroad.

Computer Baba (right) with Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan (File)

Chouhan attended the meet and sought their blessings. His promise to establish the cow ministry, increase honorarium of pujaris, free pilgrimage scheme, Ekatma Yatra and Narmada Seva Yatra, bestowing holy status on temple towns were among the steps hailed by sants and priests.

Computer Baba, who had recently given up Minister of State status, had announced a series of congregations starting from Indore on Tuesday to expose what he called a government that works against the interests of Hindus. He claimed that hundreds of other sants would expose illegal mining in the Narmada and the anti-religious stance of the government.

Asked about the Sant Sabha in Bhopal, Computer Baba told The Indian Express that there were very few genuine sants. He alleged that priests were dressed up to look like sants. He said some sants headed for Indore were tricked into stopping in Bhopal and offered dinner.