MP violence: Cong's Digvijaya Singh says Muslim areas being targeted; CM Chouhan hits back

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh on Friday alleged that Muslim localities in Madhya Pradesh are being targeted during fund-raising rallies for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The Congress leader further demanded an impartial probe into the clashes that broke out in Ujjain, Mandsaur and Indore during rallies. This statement by Digvijaya Singh comes after chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured that people from all communities are safe. 

After meeting Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains and DGP Vivek Joshi along with MLA Arif Masood and a delegation from the 3 districts that witnessed clashes last month, the Rajya Sabha member told reporters that those who have set out to collect donation of the temple are targeting Muslim localities with gun, lathis, swords and provocative speeches. 

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Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh said, “I will oppose these Hindus who are trying to break communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims. Hindu-Muslim unity is the basis of India. They fought together for the freedom struggle and those who did nothing during the freedom struggle are trying to vitiate the atmosphere."

Madhya Pradesh: Digvijaya Singh demands impartial probe

Stating that he is a better Hindu than all BJP leaders because he practices "Sanatan Dharma' which calls for respect for all, Digvijaya Singh said that all the district administrators are responsible. He said, "Ministers, IAS and IPS officers are bound by the Constitution and are not slaves of any political party, be it the Congress or BJP. How were the rallies allowed to be taken out? The district collectors and SPs of the affected districts should be removed."

The Congress leader said, "it is strange that police cases are being registered against people whose houses were torched, vehicles damaged, and who sustained bullet wounds. What sort of justice is this.”

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Shivraj Singh Chouhan: 'Every society, community and sect is safe in MP'

Reacting to former Chief Minister's allegations, MP CM in a video clip addressed to media said that every society, community and sect is safe and secure in the state. Chouhan further said that if any action has to be taken again anyone, it is going to be against goons and mafia and it will take place for sure. No power can stop it, a wrongdoer will face the consequences as all are equal in the eye of the law, he added. 

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Asserting that Madhya Pradesh government is against goons, drug peddlers and all types of the mafia, the Chief Minister said that whoever the stone-pelters maybe, nobody, not even Digvijaya Singh can save them. 

These statement by Digvijaya Singh and Chouhan comes 2 days after a delegation headed by social activist Medha Patkar visited Indore's Chandan Khedi village, where clashes took place on December 29, 2020. The 6-member delegation submitted a report to Indore Commissioner Pawan Kumar on Thursday, saying that the members of the rally that was passing through the village on the day of the clash were armed with iron rods, kerosene and diesel.

“It is shocking that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was in Indore immediately after the clashes, did not feel the need to appeal for peace and instead spoke about creating a law against stone-pelters,” said Patkar.

The delegation also said that the members of the rally attacked minaret of a mosque-near which an altercation broke out. In the report, they accused the police of inaction. After the clashes, the police booked around 23 villagers, but only two out of the three people who climbed the minaret were arrested – and both secured bail within two days, it said.

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