Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India]: Former minister and Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh’s Gandhwani constituency, Umang Singhar, has hit the healines as he raised a demand for a tribal Chief Minister amid party leaders projecting former CM Kamal Nath as the future CM of the state.
Singhar raised the demand while addressing a program organised in Badnawar town in Dhar district on Sunday on the occasion of unveiling of the statue of Tantya Mama, a tribal freedom fighter. A bike rally was also taken out on the occasion.
“Do you want that Madhya Pradesh gets a tribal CM?… I am not talking about myself but about our community. I want someone from our community to become the Chief Minister of the state. Former Union Minister and Congress MLA Kantilal Bhuria has been made the chairman of the campaign committee, if he has to be made something then make him the chief minister of the state,” Singhar said while addressing the gathering.
The Congress MLA also said, “I am not dear to politicians, I am dear to tribals. I talk about you (tribal) and about the rights of tribal people. That’s why some leaders get upset, but I am not afraid of that.”
Singhar also targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government and said that they (BJP govt) filed many cases against him but he was not afraid.
“I am the lion of the forest and I know how to hunt,” he added.
Singhar said, “I believe that the tribal people play an important role in the formation of the government in Madhya Pradesh. Even if the BJP government was formed, the tribals played a role in that too.”
There are 47 seats reserved for the tribal community in the state and along with this, the community also has their influence on many other seats, so it is natural that the role of tribal people is important, he resoned.
“In Madhya Pradesh, people belonging to all other communities have become the chief minister, so I conveyed the feeling of my community that why shouldn’t there be a chief minister from the tribal community. I will convey this demand to the forum of my party as well,” the Congress MLA said.
When asked about Kamal Nath has been projected as the Chief Minister’s face of the Congress party, Singhar said, “What the party high command and MLAs will decide is a matter of future. I have expressed this sentiment on behalf of my community. Rahul Gandhi is my leader and I will agree with his decision.”
Reacting to the role of JAYS (Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti), an organisation which works to spread awareness among tribals about education and their rights, in the upcoming assembly polls slated later this year, the Congress leader said, “Be it any organisation, all are being harassed by the BJP. They (tribal) are not developing. They are not getting jobs. Therefore, the Congress will definitely get their benefit in upcoming polls.”
Meanwhile, on Monday former CM and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Chief Kamal Nath on Singhar’s demand, said,” Everyone has their own views.”
“Everyone has their own views. Only he (Singhar) knows what he said. There is a tradition for CM’s face. Who is the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh? Who is the Chief Minister of Rajasthan? Therefore, there is a system, it is being followed,” Nath said in Jhabua while attending a program of Adivasi Swabhiman Yatra.
