Political

Mr. Shah while addressing the ‘MP Growth Summit’ at Gwalior in the state on Thursday had said that MP was a ‘Bimaru’ (laggard) state when the Congress was in power. Bhopal: Union home minister Amit Shah’s recent unusual comparison between Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav and Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, finding the incumbent CM more energetic than his predecessor Mr. Chouhan, has put a brake on speculations of Mr. Chouhan returning to state politics. Mr. Shah while addressing the ‘MP Growth Summit’ at Gwalior in the state on Thursday had said that MP was a ‘Bimaru’ (laggard) state when the Congress was in power. However, the tag of ‘Bimaru’ state was removed during the BJP rule in Madhya Pradesh, he said while giving the credit for it to four-time chief minister Mr. Chouhan. Mr. Shah however was effusive in his praise of Mr. Yadav for his innovative initiatives to ensure balanced development of the state by holding regional industry conclaves to woo investments for different regions in the state. Mr. Yadav is more energetic than his predecessor Mr. Chouhan, Mr. Shah had said. The recent decision by the Centre to scale up Mr. Chouhan’s security on the ground of threat perception from Pakistan had given rise to speculations that the Central BJP leadership is toying with the idea of sending him back to MP as replacement of Mr. Yadav in the CM post. Even leading local Hindi and English dailies ran stories suggesting Mr. Chouhan’s possible return to Madhya Pradesh politics despite frequent denials to such reports by the party leaders, of course, unofficially. Mr. Chouhan’s frequent visits to Madhya Pradesh in recent times to attend official and private functions have also added grist to the rumour mill in this regard. Such speculations in fact surface and then peter out very often after BJP leadership chose Mr. Yadav as chief minister of MP, dashing the hopes of Mr. Chouhan to become CM for a record fifth time when the party retained power in the state in the 2023 Assembly polls. “Such speculations petered out even faster than they surfaced. The recent move by the Centre to upgrade Mr. Chouhan’s security was the latest provocation for giving birth to such remours”, a senior BJP functionary told this newspaper here on Friday. But Mr. Shah’s statement has put a brake on such a speculation, he added.

According to sources, protesters gathered at Parade Chowk and tried to place and burn a copy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s autobiography. Police personnel deployed at the spot immediately stopped the act, leading to a heated confrontation between Parashuram Sena members and the police. A prolonged standoff ensued between Parashuram Sena’s district president, Devesh Sharma, and police officials. Bhind (Madhya Pradesh): Tension prevailed in the city of Bhind on Saturday after members of the Savarna Army and Parashuram Sena staged a protest against the public burning of the Manusmriti by Bhim Army activists in Gwalior and Shivpuri districts. During the protest, an attempt was allegedly made to burn literature associated with Ambedkarite ideology, prompting swift police intervention. According to sources, protesters gathered at Parade Chowk and tried to place and burn a copy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s autobiography. Police personnel deployed at the spot immediately stopped the act, leading to a heated confrontation between Parashuram Sena members and the police. A prolonged standoff ensued between Parashuram Sena’s district president, Devesh Sharma, and police officials. Speaking to Free Press, Sharma claimed that attempts to burn Ambedkarite literature were prevented due to the presence of the police. He criticised the government for what he described as inaction over the burning of the Manusmriti. “We oppose the government’s silence whenever Sanatan Dharma is targeted. No action was taken against those who burned the Manusmriti,” Sharma said, adding that the organisation would continue its movement against Ambedkarite ideology. The situation escalated further when Parashuram Sena’s district vice-president, Bunti Purohit, arrived alone at Parade Chowk and allegedly attempted to burn Ambedkar’s autobiography while live-streaming the act on social media. Police detained him immediately and took him to the police station. Meanwhile, Bhim Army workers staged a protest by surrounding the Kotwali police station, demanding the registration of an FIR against those who attempted to burn Ambedkar’s autobiography. The protest comes two days after the Bhim Army observed ‘Manusmriti Dahan Diwas’ in Shivpuri district, during which a video surfaced showing copies of the Manusmriti being burned from a stage. When contacted, the Bhind police administration did not officially acknowledge the incidents or provide a detailed response. “The efforts are underway to maintain peace and communal harmony,” Kotwali police station In-Charge Brajendra Singh Sengar told Free Press. 

According to information, ASP Beniwal was conducting vehicle checking in the city for violations such as cars without number plates, illegal tinted windows and carrying sticks or other prohibited items. During one such checks, a car with no number plate and dark tints was stopped. The driver also had a stick in the vehicle. Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh): A video showing an adamant lady police officer refusing to let go a traffic violator without challan has gone viral on social media. The video is from Gwalior. Additional SP Anu Beniwal was seen scolding a car driver who tried to avoid a challan by claiming he was related to a BJP leader. She firmly said, “Tumhare fufa ji chahe President hi kyu na ho, challan to hoga hi” (Even if your uncle is the President, you will not leave without challan). According to information, ASP Beniwal was conducting vehicle checking in the city for violations such as cars without number plates, illegal tinted windows and carrying sticks or other prohibited items. During one such checks, a car with no number plate and dark tints was stopped. The driver also had a stick in the vehicle. Despite the driver claiming political connections, ASP Beniwal refused to compromise and took action under the Motor Vehicles Act. Her strict approach sent a message that traffic rules apply to everyone, regardless of status or influence. During the drive, a total of 172 vehicles were challaned and fines exceeding Rs. 86,000 were collected. The officer’s firm stance is being widely appreciated on social media. Many netizens are praising her courage, while some are sceptical, saying that although she is strict now, she might not act the same in front of a powerful politician.