It’s 11 p.m. when Chhattisgarh Chief MinisterBhupesh Baghelreturns to his official residence in Raipur after a hectic day of campaigning across the State. The Lok Sabha election is a litmus test for the Congress and himself, coming close on the heels of success in the Assembly election last November.
How confident are you of repeating the Assembly election result?
In the Assembly election, we got a three-fourths majority and this time we will get 100%. The BJP fought keeping PM Narendra Modi as the face of the party last November. But nobody voted for him. Brand Narendra Modi badly bombed and there is no scope of recovery now. People of Chhattisgarh do not tolerate lies and liars. Chhattisgarh has recorded high number of Jan Dhan accounts because people believed Modi ji will deliver his promise of ₹15 lakh. Then he (PM Modi) went on to do demonetisation, the people once again trusted him when he said that it will help in exorcising black money. Now, the government has no answers on how the exercise has helped. People have lost trust in Narendra Modi.
You have said in the past that naxalism can be countered through boli or talks and not by goli or bullets. In the face of BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi’s death in Dantewada in a Maoist attack, what is the roadmap ahead?
It is a wrong question. I never spoke about talks with Naxals. Yes, we need to talk ... talk with the tribals, the intellectuals, the traders, the jawans posted there ... Because I believe that those who suffer this curse first hand are in a better situation to come up with a solution.
The Maoists recently sent out a message offering to hold talks. My only pre-condition was that they give up arms and express faith in the Indian Constitution.
Bhima Mandavi’s death is unfortunate. But there were no lapses from the government’s end in providing him security. The police adequately warned him not to go ahead because the road opening party could not go there. The junior police officer has recorded on how Mr. Mandavi ignored his pleas.
As far as war against Naxals is concerned, in last three months our forces have killed 17 Naxals. But to end Naxalism, you need to put in extra effort. Can it end through bullets alone? They can fire some from their end and we from ours! I don’t think so this kind of attitude helps. To end this we have to earn respect and trust of people; only then can we push the Maoists out.
The BJP is building a narrative that they alone can secure India… doesn’t the Dantewada strike give them more ammunition?
In whose tenure did Naxalism spread? In 2003 it was limited to four blocks and now it has spread to 14 districts. It has even entered the former CM Raman Singh’s home district Kawardha. Records tell you that both terrorism and Naxalism have increased during their tenure, whether Uri, Pathankot or Pulwama. In Chattisgarh, clearly, the BJP is working hand in glove with the Naxalites; the biggest evidence is the killing of the Congress leadership in Jhiram valley in 2013.
So are you saying Balakot strikes will have no impact this elections?
In the face of the all-round failure they are left with nothing to speak of, which is why they are talking of surgical strike, air strike and space strikes. They are in a ridiculously hilarious position today. The BJP candidates don’t canvass for votes on their own name. Instead, they invoke Narendra Modi who in turn invokes the Indian Army. The Army has already said, “Don’t use us”.
In the past three months, the Chhattisgarh government made a record 80 lakh tonnes of paddy procurement, far higher than the requirement for PDS and the central pool of the FCI. How long will the Chhattisgarh government sustain it?
This year we have about 6 lakh metric tonnes of extra paddy. We will be selling it in other States or in the international market. But we realise that we will continue to face this problem every year. So if the Central government does not procure from us, we will look at long-term ways of using excess paddy like manufacturing ethanol.
You came to power on the promise of farm loan waiver. The BJP claims that the announcement did not make a distinction between short, long or medium-term loans. Now the scheme is extended only to short-term loans.
We are accountable to farmers, not to the BJP. When we made the announcement, the farmers understood us. We have spent ₹12,500 crore for the farmers who did not get payment because their earning was subsumed for payment of loan. This section was our priority and that we have done. The farmers are very happy and satisfied with us.
The Congress slogan is ‘Ab Hoga Nyaya’ this begs the question on why the Congress did not do justice all this while?
In 70 years, Congress built everything from needle to light bulbs. The ground work for the space missile that Mr. Modi is boasting about was laid during the Congress government under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Who established Baba Atomic Research centre, IITs, IIMs and so on? All this was established in 1950s and 1960s under Nehru ji’s tenure. You have to remember that when PM Rajiv Gandhi spoke of hailing in computer era in the country, BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee entered Parliament in a bullock cart to protest against his vision. They can only criticise. When Indira Gandhi gave the slogan ‘garibi hatao,’ a whole generation of people were pulled out of poverty. Has BJP done justice? They have not been able make MNREGA payments, or promised sum for construction of toilets.
The BJP has changed all its candidates to blunt the anti-incumbency. What is your political strategy now?
We too have put up fresh candidates. The difference between our candidate selection and theirs is that ours was done with due consultation with the cadres. The BJP could not digest their defeat and changed their candidates out of sheer frustration and anger. Their own cadres may not accept this change.
You promised total prohibition as part of your campaign promise, when will we see it getting implemented?
My government is just three months old. Alcoholism is a social evil. If we introduce prohibition as suddenly as demonetisation was brought in, it can backfire. What will happen to the habitual drinkers? The decision can’t be taken without all around consultation and awareness drive.
Question is that in States which has implemented prohibition, have they been able to close the door-step delivery? This was not a time bound promises like the loan waiver promise. It doesn’t take too long to bring down the shutter... question is will it put an end to alcohol consumption?
Will Congress be in a position to form government in 2019.
UPA will get 320 seats. There are many States where we are in a direct fight with the BJP like Gujarat, Uttarkahand, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In all these States, the BJP has already maxed out in 2014. They won’t be able to repeat their 2014 performance here. Similarly if we are to look at States where opposition parties are fighting in alliance like in UP will the BJP manage to get 73 seats? To sum it up the NDA has only scope to lose and the UPA will only improve its tally in every State.
