This Week Madhya Pradesh: Counterattack spiced with biriyani

Assembly Speaker Ishwardas Rohani,who was the target of an attack by AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh,has hit back with venom

Counterattack spiced with biriyani

Assembly Speaker Ishwardas Rohani,who was the target of an attack by AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh,has hit back with venom. He is himself a terrorist who eats biriyani with those linked to terror activities, the Speaker of eight years said on his home turf of Jabalpur,referring to former chief minister Digvijayas visits to Azamgarh and his questioning of the Batla House encounter. Digvijaya had accused the Speaker of protecting Abdul Razzak,a Jabalpur-based functionary of the Jamiat Ahle Hadith. The Congress leader had made the allegation on the Assembly premises when the House was in session. Before doing so,incidentally,he had paid a courtesy call to Rohani in the latter’s chamber.

Thakur vs commissioner

Industries Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya,not new to controversy in any case,has now reportedly announced that he will quit politics if a police commissioner system is introduced in Indore,his home. Many IAS officers are against such a system of policing because that takes away the powers they enjoy in large cities. Currently,superintendents of police are in charge in districts and senior SPs in larger places such as Indore and Bhopal but they remain answerable to the collectors who enjoy magisterial powers. When Vijayvargiya voiced his opposition to the impending system,it was felt that the minister was worried about losing his clout. He compared himself to the Thakur of Sholay to convey his helplessness in taking decisions.

Protest that didnt work

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Congress MP Sajjan Singh Varma made a comment against CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan,the BJP sought to milk it for political gains,and found it backfiring. Varma had equated alleged sand mining at the Narmada with rape of the holy river. The BJP launched statewide protests but had a tough time justifying these,as it found itself accused of diverting attention from the issue of mining. Floored by a poor response to the agitation,the BJP called it off at the first opportunity when Varma apologised to Ma Narmada,not the BJP. The BJP,in fact,even praised Varma for his large-heartedness. Varma,however,rubbed it in,saying the agitation itself was part of a power struggle within the BJP and meant to unsettle the CM.

Why Danger

State BJP chief Prabhat Jha and Leader of the Opposition Ajay Singh have been engaged in a duel in which the words they have used against each other have often bordered on the comical. Singh calls his rival Prabhat Danger,a reference to Shakib alias Danger,a criminal arrested in the Shehla Masood murder case. Jha has accepted the Danger tag but qualifies it as a signal for the Congress. Jha had started it all when he called Singh feudal,alleging that the latter treats his voters as his subjects and cant stand those who have risen from the ranks. Accusing Singhs family of grabbing land in Churhat,Jha has dragged former HRD Minister Arjun Singhs son to the SC/ST Commission.