Describing the Congress regime in Madhya Pradesh a “government of lies and deceit”, Khajuraho MP and newly-elected State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Vishnu Dutt Sharma believes electoral fortunes have turned in its favour of late. Although he downplays the organisational impact of minority members quitting the party en masse over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the past month, Mr. Sharma offers to take the reconciliatory path of reaching out to them, bringing them back.
As the newly-elected president of the State BJP unit, what is your roadmap for the party in Madhya Pradesh?
The party’s structure in Madhya Pradesh is that of an ideal organisation. It stands on a comprehensive structure. My focus will be to accelerate ongoing work. The organisation is already strong and powerful, but we need to make it stronger.
In the past month, several members of the party’s minority cell quit the party over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Madhya Pradesh. Many have alleged the leadership refused to lend them an ear. Has the exodus affected the party’s organisation?
The attempts by the Congress and alleged Communists to mislead people are unfortunate. You can’t guess the relation of the law with minorities in India. It is only meant for the three countries where there are those who have faced religious persecution. Even Gandhi, Nehru and Indira have deemed it the government’s duty to provide refugees shelter. It is in Congress’s character to pick one section of society, lure it for vote bank politics to stay in power. There is an attempt by the Congress to destablise the country through the protests against the CAA in New Delhi and by spreading rumours among minorities.
Within the BJP, workers from minority communities perform duties with respect, and know the party accords them protection. Wherever the BJP has formed government, minorities have only moved ahead. All schemes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, based on sabka saath sabka vikas , have benefited minorities the most.
Those who had to leave the party, inevitably left it. Just four-five people leaving the party does not dent an organisation run by thousands of workers. Still, those who are being misled on the CAA, we will talk to them again so that they continue working for the party.
Even your MLA Narayan Tripathi has spoken out against the law..
Anyone can give their personal views. However, it is not like this is having a major impact anywhere. Wherever our people have made such remarks, we have spoken to them.
Also read | BJP MLA speaks out against CAA
The Congress State government has hit out at the BJP government in the Centre for slashing ₹14,000 crore from its share in the Budget, and repeatedly cited funds crunch in effectively implementing welfare schemes. What’s your take on this?
When the Centre sanctioned 8 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to Madhya Pradesh and transferred funds, its government did not build two lakh houses by refusing to pay the matching grant. You are snatching away the right of the poor that the Centre is giving to them in the form of payment. We did not transfer houses but funds. The funds the Centre gave them, they returned a part of it unused. What’s more, they implemented the Ayushman Bharat [scheme] only after being pressed. Kamal Nath says MPs should appeal to the Centre for more funds. Has he ever spoken to the MPs? Forget that, he does not want them to be involved in any programmes. By lying, the government is shirking from its own responsibility.
You have been an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad for years. What significance does RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s frequent visits to the State recently hold for its people? Did it boost th eBJP’s awareness drive on the CAA?
His stay and meetings have no relation to the BJP. The Sangh has its own organisation and Mr. Bhagwat travels as per its programme. This has got nothing to do with the BJP. They have a separate agenda for the country. They have an independent functioning. RSS doesn’t work for any political party and neither advises it.
After the Vidhan Sabha loss for the BJP in 2018, its losing streak has continued even in by-elections. What is your assessment of its continuing poor electoral performance in the State? And despite efforts, why hasn’t the party been able to corner the Congress government on its reported failure to waive loans of farmers as promised before the 2018 election?
Today’s conditions are different. The State’s people have well understood the Kamal Nath government’s lies and deceit. With confidence, in the upcoming local elections, we will highlight its failures and anarchy, and the deteriorating law and order situation. It [Kamal Nath-led State government] is working on the same pattern as the Digvijaya Singh government, prompting the BJP to hit the streets.
As for the waiver, the Congress is cornered by both the BJP and farmers, who continue to be in distress. There is no region where the loan has been waived. Forget the waiver, have they even reached out to farmers in the first place? For delivering the Kisan Samman Nidhi, they refused to provide the list of farmers in the Bundelkhand region.
