E-Paper
BJP's Vijayvargiya rakes up Kamal Nath's 1984 past as battle in Madhya Pradesh heats up
State Congress president and former chief minister Kamal Nath has been fielded from his home-turf Chhindwara, from where he is currently the legislator.
Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya on Sunday targeted former chief minister Kamal Nath over his alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh violence after the Congress party fielded him from Chhindwara constituency for the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. Vijayvargiya, who has been fielded from Indore 1 constituency, accused Kamal Nath of being involved in actions that have allegedly divided society, particularly mentioning the tragic 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
“Kamal Nath has done many such works in the country that have divided the society. In these works, the riot of '84 is also a part of it, he is in a suspicious stage in this. This is pending in the court, and that's why the Sikh community is angry. Other communities are also angry,” the BJP national general secretary told ANI.
Kamal Nath, a veteran Congress leader, is contesting from his home turf, Chhindwara, in the upcoming state elections. The candidature of Kamal Nath has been a subject of considerable debate and political maneuvering, as both the BJP and Congress vie for supremacy in the state.
The 1984 anti-Sikh riots, also known as the 1984 Sikh genocide, were a series of organized pogroms targeting the Sikh community in the aftermath of the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The events left thousands dead and have remained a contentious issue, with demands for justice and closure continuing for decades. Kamal Nath's alleged involvement in the riots has been a contentious topic, and it remains the subject of ongoing legal proceedings.
The opposition Congress has given tickets to 69 sitting legislators in the first list of its 144 candidates announced on Sunday for the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls scheduled next month. It has fielded Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh's son Jaivardhan Singh from Raghogarh and brother Lakshman Singh from Chachoura in Guna, both sitting legislators.
The Congress has fielded actor Vikram Mastal against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Budhni in Sehore district.
The first list of Congress candidates also includes former ministers Ajay Singh (Churhat), Ramnivas Rawat (Vijaypur), Lakhan Singh Yadav (Bhitarwar), Harsh Yadav (Deori), Mukesh Nayak (Pawai), Kamleshwar Patel (Sihawal), Lakha Ghanghoriya (Jabalpur-East), Tarun Bhanot (Jabalpur-West), Omkar Singh Markam (Dindori), Sukhdev Panse (Multai), Sajjan Singh Verma (Sonkatch), Vijay Laxmi Sadho (Maheshwar), Sachin Yadav (Kasrawad), Bala Bachchan (Rajpur), Jitu Patwari (Rau), Priyavrat Singh (Khilchipur) and Narendra Nahta (Manasa).
