News Analysis India

Tag: Kamal Nath

  • House that! Only 15 MP MLAs, including CM Shivraj, furnish assets details

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL:  Twenty months after the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha unanimously resolved that each member of the House will furnish details of their and dependents’ assets/properties and liabilities annually, only 15 of the 227 MLAs have so far done that.

    While Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is among the nine BJP MLAs who have furnished their assets details to the principal secretary of the Assembly, as required, his predecessor Kamal Nath does not figure among the six Congress legislators who have done that.

    The other BJP MLAs to have furnished the details include Assembly Speaker Girish Gautam, health minister Dr Prabhuram Chaudhary and ex-minister Rampal Singh.

    The Congress MLAs who have furnished the details include former parliamentary affairs minister Govind Singh and first-time MLAs Arif Masood and Sanjay Yadav.

    Congress MLA PC Sharma blamed Covid-19 and lockdowns for non-submission of property details.

    “Now that everything is opening up, the details will be submitted before the Vidhan Sabha in next two months,” Sharma said.

    According to informed sources, the BJP members (the party was then in opposition) had suggested then that instead of passing a resolution, a legislation should be passed by the House for the purpose.

    Some lawmakers, in fact, wanted a provision of jail term for those who failed to declare assets.

    However, Vishvas Sarang, who is now the medical education minister, said on Wednesday, “There is no issue in it…The details are also given by all at the time of contesting polls.”

    The 230-member MP Vidhan Sabha currently has 227 members fiollowing the death of three legislators.

    Resolution required lawmakers to file details by June 

    The Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha had passed a unanimous resolution on December 18, 2019, which stipulated that every member of the House would furnish to the Assembly details of their and their dependents’ movable and immovable assets by June 30 annually.

  • Let’s have a race: Kamal Nath throws challenge at MP CM Chouhan to test fitness

    By PTI

    BHOPAL: Amid a “debate” over his health, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath, 74, has challenged state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is 12 years younger than him, to run a race with him to see who is fitter.

    Nath’s fitness challenge comes in the wake of Chouhan, 62, repeatedly targetting him over his age and health, saying that he was resting in Delhi.

    “There is a lot of debate over my health. Shivrajji is saying that Kamal Nathji is sick and old. Shivraji, I throw a challenge to you, come let us have a race,” Nath, who is also the leader of the opposition, said in a media statement.

    “I did go for my post COVID-19 check up because I had pneumonia – which anyone can have. I got all the tests done. All reports came out good. COVID-19 are of two types – one of short duration and another of a long duration. I faced the long duration one,” he added.

    “I was in Delhi, where I have many responsibilities (of the Congress) to discharge. This does not mean I was in Delhi because I was unwell and resting,” the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said.

    A Congress leader said, Nath reached here on Saturday and is scheduled to leave for Delhi on Sunday along with the list of candidates for the October 30 bypolls to three Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency in MP.

    Talking to PTI about Nath’s challenge, MP Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta said, “This is an apt reply to CM Chouhan, who was repeatedly needling Nathji that he has grown old, sick and resting in Delhi. Chouhan should keep in mind that he has been defeated in the 2018 MP Assembly poll race by Nathji.”

    State BJP’s senior leader Deepak Vijayavargiya said, “The BJP runs races for the development and well being of people. But sitting in drawing rooms, the Congress runs races on Twitter and falls. In the October 30 bypolls, people will decide who is the winner. I pray to God for Nath’s good health. He must stay fine after defeating coronavirus.”

    Both – Nath and Chouhan – had contracted coronavirus.

    Chouhan had got infected last year and was discharged in August (last year) from a private hospital here after recovery.

    Nath became the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh in December 2018 after the Congress won the Assembly polls that year.

    However, his government collapsed in March 2020 following the resignation of 22 MLAs of the then ruling Congress.

    The government helmed by him lasted only 15 months, after which the BJP came back to power and Chouhan returned as the state the chief minister for the fourth time.

  • Flood disaster massive in north Madhya Pradesh: Kamal Nath, questions govt’s response

    By PTI

    SHEOPUR: Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Saturday said floods have caused an “unprecedented” massive damage in Gwalior and Chambal divisions and asked the state government to not play politics.

    As per the state government, more than 1,250 villages were affected in the north MP by the deluge following heavy rains earlier this week.

    The fatality count in rain-related incidents increased to 24, officials said on Saturday.

    Gwalior, Shivpuri, Sheopur, Datia, Ashok Nagar, Guna, Bhind and Morena districts were battered by heavy rains.

    “I have never seen such a disaster in life,” Nath told reporters here after conducting an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Sheopur and visiting some other districts.

    “I saw 80 per cent of the people on rooftops. Enormous damage was caused to the land and crops due to the flood,” he said.

    Responding to a query, the former chief minister said the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has made a slew of announcements, but “this is not the time of (playing) politics. We are extending help. The Congress will continue to help,” he said.

    Nath said Congress will raise questions on the damaged bridges, loss of crops etc.

    “How you (the government) are going to assess the losses to pay compensation.

    “How much help you are going to provide? When will the bridges damaged by rains will be repaired and houses will be provided to the people rendered homeless due to the flood,” he questioned.

    Addressing ‘Anna Utsav’ programme earlier in the day, state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that 8,832 people were rescued from the flood-affected parts of the state, while 29,280 others have been shifted to safer places from these areas so far.

  • Nath slams Chouhan on MP’s investment ‘reality’, says state lacks ‘environment of trust’ under BJP rule

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: A day after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan wooed investors to the state, MP Congress chief Kamal Nath on Sunday said industries pump in money only if there is an environment of trust, which is lacking in the state under the BJP rule.

    Nath also claimed that during the 15-month-long Congress dispensation in the state helmed by him till March last year, the government had tried to improve the image of Madhya Pradesh and build an environment of trust, but the Chouhan-led government has brought things back to square one.

    “Shivraj ji, this is true that MP is the heart of India, but know the fact that investment comes with trust, which your government never earned.

    “Because under your rule, the state earned the dubious distinction being a state of mafias, adulterators, corruption, and unemployment and for always being on top among the states in the crime against women,” Nath said in the tweet.

    Despite holding many investors’ meets by spending lakhs and crores of rupees and making claims about attracting investments, everybody knows the reality on the investment front in the state, he added.

    “We tried to change this image (of the state) and build an environment of trust during our 15-month rule, but the BJP could not tolerate it and by striking deals, toppled our government?” Nath alleged in his tweet.

    But after your government came to power, the state has come back to square one, he stated.

    Nath’s tweets come a day after Chouhan in his address at Horasis India Meeting, 2021 during a session on ‘Madhya Pradesh – India’s Emerging Economic Tiger’ in New Delhi on Saturday spoke about the plans to turn Madhya Pradesh an ideal investment destination in India.

    “We are not just the heart of India, but are the people with a heart. We don’t have (only) one, but have multiple unique point,s like 30 per cent forest cover, a hub of minerals, Asia’s largest dam and 8.5 crore population with a focus on skilled manpower,” Chouhan was quoted as saying in a government release.

    “I know that the backbone of Madhya Pradesh’s development is in investment, and hence we are focusing on this. I welcome you all to Madhya Pradesh, and invest, we hope you get the benefit and help reach the Atmna Nirbhar Bharat dreams, I promise you won’t be disappointed,” the chief minister had added.

  • Kamal Nath demands probe into Pegasus snooping case by Supreme Court judge 

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Wednesday termed the alleged snooping by the Israeli spyware Pegasus as the “biggest attack on the privacy” of people and demanded a probe into it by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.

    Addressing a press conference here, the former state chief minister also said that the Centre should file an affidavit in the Supreme Court that it did not use this spyware.

    He said the Centre is denying the charges of snooping through the Pegasus spyware.

    READ HERE | Shashi Tharoor-headed Parliamentary panel to question Centre on Pegasus phone tapping row on July 28

    The Union government should clarify whether it (the spyware) was purchased for the “national security or Modi security”, he said.

    Nath said the Centre should “file an affidavit in the Supreme Court that it had not obtained this spyware and its license from the Israel-based NSO (company)”.

    “This alleged snooping is the biggest attack on privacy…an investigation should also be carried out into the matter by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, whose phone was not snooped upon.

    The judge should be appointed (for the probe) with the consent of the opposition parties,” the Congress leader said.

    Nath noted that France has already ordered an inquiry into the alleged spying by Pegasus.

    An international media consortium on Sunday reported that several verified mobile phone numbers, including of two serving ministers, various journalists, some opposition leaders and a sitting judge besides scores of business persons and activists in India could have been targeted for hacking through the Israeli spyware sold only to government agencies.

    The government, however, dismissed allegations of any kind of surveillance on its part on specific people, saying it “has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever”.

  • Congress leader Kamal Nath visits Gurugram hospital for check-up

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and the state Congress president Kamal Nath on Wednesday visited Medanta Hospital in Gurugram for a medical check-up as he has been suffering from fever for the last two days, his aide said.

    “Because of fever for the last two days, the former chief minister has gone to Medanta Hospital, Gurugram, for routine check-up and examination,” Nath’s media coordinator Narendra Saluja told reporters.

    After examination by doctors, necessary action will be taken, he added.

  • Madhya Pradesh honeytrap case: SIT sends notice to Kamal Nath over pen drive

    By Express News Service
    BHOPAL: The Special Investigation Team probing the high-profile honey trap case in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday sent a notice to the state’s Opposition leader and former CM Kamal Nath asking him to hand over the pen drive/CD pertaining to the case.

    In the notice sent to Nath, the SIT informed that the pen drive/DC was a piece of extremely important evidence that could make the probe much easier.  In an apparent threat to the ruling BJP government in the state, Nath, at a recent press conference, said he is still in possession of the pen drive/ CD relating to the scandal. 

    Five women and a man were arrested in Bhopal and Indore in September 2019 for allegedly trapping well-placed people, including politicians, and blackmailing them with objectionable videos. The ex-CM has also been asked to be present at his residence in Bhopal at 12.30 pm on June 2 for questioning. 

    On May 21, responding to a question on FIR against his former Cabinet colleague and Congress leader Umang Singar over the suicide of a 40-year-old woman, Nath asked the BJP not to play dirty politics. He then warned the government that he has a pen drive/CD relating to the honey trap case.

  • Congress weakening India’s fight against Covid, providing tools to Pakistan: BJP

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday accused the Congress of working to “weaken” India’s fight against COVID-19, and alleged that the opposition party “provided” tools to countries like Pakistan to defame India.

    Citing the alleged remarks of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath that India is not great but infamous following the spread of the infectious disease, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia sought to know the Congress’ stand on his comments and claimed that defaming India has become a priority for its leaders.

    Noting that the senior Congress leader had earlier controversially described a Covid variant that originated in India as the “Indian variant”, Bhatia alleged at a virtual press conference that whatever he says is done at the behest of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

    “What Kamal Nath says is the Congress’ ideology and does so on behalf of Sonia Gandhi. Defaming India has become your priority. Why is the Congress silent at his abhorrent statement? Why is Sonia Gandhi silent? Does she agree with him?” Bhatia asked.

    He also cited comments of other senior Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor to claim that the opposition party has been making “irresponsible” statements to weaken India’s fight against Covid.

    Referring to a media report in Pakistan, the BJP spokesperson alleged that the term Indian variant used by it had “originated” at the Congress headquarters.

    The opposition party has provided tools that are used by countries like Pakistan to target India, he alleged.

    He also took strong exception to Rahul Gandhi’s use of “nautanki” barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Bhatia noted that Modi had turned emotional while speaking to healthcare workers recently and asked if this was “nautanki” (drama).

    The Congress had shed tears for terrorists killed in the Batla House encounter in 2008, he alleged and said people know whose tears are sincere.

  • After ‘Indian Variant’ remark, Kamal Nath kicks up fresh row with ‘Bharat Badnam’ remark

    By Express News Service
    BHOPAL: Five days after he was booked by Bhopal Police Crime Branch for his controversial “Indian Variant” coronavirus remark, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and present state Congress president Kamal Nath kicked up a fresh political row on Friday by saying, “India isn’t Mahan (great) but a Badnam (infamous) country.”

    “Mai toh kah raha hoon ki Bharat mahan nahi, Bharat badnam hai (I’m saying that India isn’t great, but India is infamous). All nations have banned the entry of Indian people due to the COVID-19 pandemic surge in India. I’d said this in Ujjain recently and I’m repeating it again. Someone rang me recently from New York and told me that people there aren’t boarding cabs driven by Indians,” Nath said at a press conference in Satna district on Friday.

    While accusing the Narendra Modi government at the centre and the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in MP of failing to timely contain the COVID-19 pandemic’s current wave, Nath said, “during my chief ministerial tenure, I had started a campaign against adulteration, but the ruling BJP workers are now selling ventilators, injections, oxygen, and hospital beds.”

    “Nothing was done to stop the second wave of the pandemic, despite being alerted by experts. If anyone asks questions about it, that person is called a traitor and FIR is lodged against him,” said Nath referring to the recent FIR lodged against him at the Bhopal Crime Branch on ruling BJP leaders’complaint.

    On Sunday, the Bhopal Crime Branch had lodged a case against him u/s 188 IPC and 54 of Disaster Management Act on the complaint of ruling BJP leaders.

    The BJP leaders had alleged in their complaint that through his “Indian Variant” remark made at a digital press conference and later at a media briefing in Ujjain, the ex-CM and present Leader of Opposition had tarnished the image of the country and also created fear among people of the state.

    Reacting to Nath’s ‘Bharat Badnam,’ remark, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “Such remarks suggest that the ex-CM has lost his mental balance, after losing power in the state. After such remarks, he isn’t worthy of being an Indian citizen. Now, the Congress national president Sonia Gandhi needs to come clear whether she is supportive of her MP state party chief’s recent remarks or not.”

  • Shivraj Chouhan asks Sonia to take action against Kamal Nath for remarks on pandemic

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: A war of words broke out between Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state Congress president Kamal Nath on Monday following registration of an FIR against the latter for allegedly creating panic over the COVID-19 pandemic through his remarks.

    Chouhan asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to take action against Nath for his “Indian variant” and other remarks related to the pandemic.

    On the other hand, Nath said an FIR cannot suppress his voice and asserted he will keep fighting for people and raise issues of public interest.

    On Sunday, the Crime Branch of the Bhopal Police had filed an FIR against Nath following a complaint by BJP leaders who alleged the former chief minister has been creating panic over the coronavirus pandemic through his remarks.

    “Sonia Gandhi should take action against Kamal Nath ji and if she agrees with his views, then let the country know so that the public can be aware about the Congress stand,” Chouhan said in a tweet on Monday.

    In another tweet, Chouhan said the government is trying to control the COVID-19 infection with cooperation of people and the affected families, while the Congress is playing with public sentiments.

    The CM further said, “I want to ask Madam Sonia Gandhi, whether she agrees with Nath’s statement of setting (public sentiments) afire?. Does Madam Sonia Gandhi agree with Kamal Nath’s statement of ‘Indian Corona’? If Kamal Nath is saying this on his own, then why are you (Sonia Gandhi) watching it as Dhritarashtra (a key figure in the Mahabharat who was blind)?”

     Chouhan was apparently referring to a video circulated by the BJP in which Nath is purportedly heard saying to a person “this is the time to set (sentiments) on fire” during a discussion on problems being faced by farmers.

    The Congress, however, claimed the video was doctored.

    On the other hand, a defiant Nath, in a statement issued to the media on Monday, said, “The Shivraj government wants me to keep quiet, not to raise public’s voice, not to fight for their rights but I will not sit quiet. I will keep fighting for public interest till the last breath of my life, an FIR cannot suppress me.”

    The Leader of Opposition alleged the BJP government in the state has left people at the mercy of God at the time of the coronavirus crisis.

    Nath said the BJP government is hiding data on COVID-19 deaths and alleged people were dying in absence of hospital beds, shortage of medical oxygen and essential medicines, including Remdesivir, a claim repeatedly rejected by the state administration.

    “Thousands of people have died in the state due to carelessness and negligence of the state government,” the Congress leader said, adding despite being alerted, the BJP administration did not arrange for medical oxygen and adequate hospital beds.

    “When people are in trouble, the medical system is in tatters, people are dying, the Shivraj government wants me to keep quiet,” he said.

    The MP Congress president said the state government was trying to divert people’s attention from real issues by filing FIR against him.

    He demanded that people who have died of COVID-19 be given an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh instead of Rs 1 lakh announced earlier.

    On Sunday, Nath was charged under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the IPC and section 54 (making or circulating a false alarm or warning as to disaster or its severity or magnitude, leading to panic) of the National Disaster Management Act 2005 in the FIR registered at the Crime Branch Station in Bhopal, an official said.

    The BJP leaders, in their complaint, alleged that Nath had said at a press conference at Ujjain on Saturday said that, “Corona, which has spread in the world, is being known as the Indian variant of the virus.”

    Nath’s statement is creating confusion and defaming the country internationally, the complaint said.

    The former Union minister has disobeyed the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to stem COVID-19 and his act amounts to sedition under the IPC, the complainants said.

    Besides, the complaint said Nath’s “false allegations” that the government was hiding real COVID-19 deaths amount to creating fear and the act falls under the category of criminal offence.