Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Thursday drew Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention to the “undemocratic pandemic” prevailing in the country which could damage its reputation as a mature democracy globally.
On the day another Congress MLA , 25th since March, resigned and joined the BJP, Mr. Nath wrote to Mr. Modi, “Even now, the BJP is making MLAs of the Opposition resign and join the BJP after luring them, and through such immoral acts the weight of byelections is being put on citizens.”
Stating that his concern was not just limited to the fall of the Congress government in the State, he said there was a “turmoil in the democratic system of the country”. He appealed to the Prime Minister to come forward and protect the democracy’s falling reputation and not give place to such “opportunist leaders” either in his government or party who were accused of “dealing with democratic values.”
Mr. Nath described the “toppling” of the elected government in Madhya Pradesh as one of the “most disgusting” episodes in the country’s democratic history. It was harrowing to imagine, he said, that while the entire humankind was fighting the coronavirus pandemic, “the BJP’s senior leaders took former Health Minister, other Ministers and MLAs to Bengaluru to topple the government and left the State’s citizens to the pandemic’s fury.”
‘Selfish, greedy leaders’
It was also being discussed, he added, “several opportunist, selfish and greedy leaders of Madhya Pradesh didn’t allow the lockdown to be implemented in the country before March 24 until the Congress government fell.” After 22 Congress MLAs, including 19 who pledged support to Jyotiraditya Scindia, resigned, Mr. Nath had to step down as the Chief Minister on March 20. Claiming majority, Shivraj Singh Chouhan took oath as the Chief Minister on March 23.
Mr. Nath further pointed out that according to B.R. Ambedkar, the most beautiful aspect of our Constitution was its federal nature. And because of it India’s democracy had a special identity in the world. “However, in the recent past by hurting the sentiments of Babasaheb, there is a continuous attack on the federal structure of India. Wherever there are governments of Opposition parties other than the Centre’s, they are being toppled in an immoral way,” he wrote.
On July 23, Mandhata MLA Narayan Patel resigned and later joined the BJP in a similar way as former Nepanagar MLA Sumitra Devi Kasdekar who resigned on July 17 and switched over. Earlier, Congressman Kunwar Pradyumna Singh Lodhi quit as a legislator and switched sides. He was later appointed as the Chairman of the State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. and accorded a Cabinet rank.
