Bhopal: In Madhya Pradesh where it seems difficult for BJP to retain power due to anti-incumbency factor prevailing in the state, Shivraj Chauhan government has played a new game of saffron politics. It has accorded the minister of state (MoS) status to five Hindu religious leaders on Tuesday.
Opposition Congress has slammed the move dubbing the decision as an attempt by the BJP to exploit religious sentiments of people for political gains.
The babas who have been accorded MoS status are Narmadanand Maharaj, Hariharanand Maharaj, Namdeo Das Tyagi (Computer Baba), Bhayyu Maharaj and Pandit Yogendra Mahant. They have been given the MoS status as members of the committee set up for the conservation of the Narmada River on March 31.
Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi claimed that it was a political gimmick played to wash off chief minister’s sins. Computer Baba who had planned a six-week long Narmada Ghotala Yatra has changed his mind soon after getting MoS status. He says he has canceled the yatra as the state government has conceded to the demand of setting up of saint and seers committee to conserve Narmada River.