lambasting the Madhya Pradesh's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government, the principal Opposition Congress' State president Arun Yadav alleged that the regime converted the Simhasth Kumbh Mahaparv Mela underway in the ancient temple town of Ujjain into a BJP-cum-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) programme.
Yadav while talking to media persons here on Tuesday at party's state office Indira Bhawan said, “A religious event was altered into a government one. BJP blocks have been allotted space in the Mela area, whereas passes are being issued to Congress Seva Dal workers after consulting the RSS. Despite expenditure of Rs 4,000 crore, disorganisation prevails at the Simhasth and heavy corruption took place. Sewage is mixing with water of the Kshipra River and entering monks' pandals.”
Turning his cannon on the RSS - BJP Samrasta Snan (harmony bath), Yadav accused the RSS of employing it as a medium for social schism.
“An attempt is on to separate Dalits from the mainstream for the sake of vote bank politics. RSS and BJP should clarify their stand vis a vis reservation. If RSS is a well-wisher of Dalits, then let it anoint a Dalit as its Sarsanghachalak," he said, while dodging a query in the context of reservation in promotions.
Commenting over the deaths due to natural calamity in Simhastha the state Congress president said, “The incident has occurred due to natural calamity and administrative lapses. My tributes to those who lost their life.” The state government should reconstruct all tents of saints at its expense and take strict action against corrupt officials responsible for the lapse, he added.