MP babas turn MLAS, back CM on Narmada
BHOPAL: They alleged corruption in the plantation of saplings along the banks of the Narmada during Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s Narmada Seva Yatra and threatened to lead a campaign against the project in May 2018.
But after they were given posts of minister of state (MOS) with attendant perks, Pt Yogendra Mahant and Swami Namdev, the so-called Computer Baba, said on Wednesday that the government is doing a lot to preserve the Narmada and that they would work with the state administration.
They were among five so-called spiritual leaders who were appointed members of a committee set up to preserve the Narmada. The others on the panel (with similar MOS status) are Swami Narmadanand, Swami Hariharanand and Bhayyu Maharaj.
More than 60 million saplings were planted along the banks of the Narmada last July as part of the state government’s efforts to preserve the river.
The opposition Congress party has roundly criticised the Chauhan government’s decision to constitute the committee. The party has charged the government of trying to use the spiritual figures to placate different sections of society ahead of the assembly election later this year.
“The government is mixing religion with politics with an eye on polls. The MOS rank is nothing but the government’s lure to those who speak against it. Congress has always been opposed to mixing religion with politics,” said KK Mishra, the party’s chief spokesperson in the state.