News Analysis India

Tag: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

  • Madhya Pradesh bans movement of buses to and from Maharashtra to check Covid-19 spread

    By Express News Service
    BHOPAL: In the wake of the explosive Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra, casting its shadow in adjoining Madhya Pradesh, the MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered to stop movement of passengers buses to and from Maharashtra from March 20.

    The CM also directed to ensure five lakh COVID-19 vaccinations every day with the fresh Covid-19 wave becoming stronger in ten districts, including state capital Bhopal and Indore. 

    At a meeting to take stock of the situation in the state on Thursday, it was informed that during last one week, 1778 positive cases were reported in Indore, 1170 in Bhopal, 358 in Jabalpur, 185 in Gwalior, 187 in Ujjain, 162 in Ratlam, 147 in Chhindwara, 130 in Burhanpur, 110 in Betul and 92 in Khargone.

    At the meeting it was decided that the Crisis Management Group should take a decision regarding the duration of the ongoing Gwalior fair in the wake of rising cases in Gwalior.

    The CM also said that the support of public representatives, social workers, religious leaders should be sought in the campaign for the necessary precautions to prevent Corona and motivate people to use masks, observe social distancing and get vaccinated. 

    While maintaining that a large number of labourers will return to their ancestral villages and towns in Madhya Pradesh due to Holi, the CM instructed to arrange adequate employment under MNREGA and other schemes for them. He added that adequate employment opportunities should be created in the villages so that the labourers are not forced to go to the infected cities.

    Meanwhile, the state reported 917 cases, 85 more than the previous day, and one death during the last 24 hours. Indore continued to be the state’s prime COVID-19 hotspot with 294 cases, followed by Bhopal with 184 cases, Jabalpur with 65 cases and Ujjain with 35 cases. The daily positivity rate also rose to 5 per cent from 4.8 per cent.

  • Assam polls: Shivraj slams Rahul, says ‘this Gandhi is walking on Jinnah’s path’

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by accusing him of following in the footsteps of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and not Mahatma Gandhi.

    “This Congress is not walking the path of (Mahatma) Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi is not walking the path of Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi is walking the path of Jinnah,” Chouhan said at a rally in Assam’s Naharkatia, which will go to the first of three-phase elections on March 27.

    His diatribe stemmed from the Congress’s poll alignment with minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in Assam, Indian Union Muslim League in Kerala, and Indian Secular Front, floated recently by a cleric of Furfura Sharif in West Bengal.

    “The Jinnah path will neither be accepted by the people of Assam nor the countrymen,” Chouhan said.

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    He was livid that the Congress forged an electoral truck with the AIUDF, which is seen by many in Assam as the alleged protector of illegal immigrants. It was floated in 2005 after the Supreme Court, based on a petition, had struck down the Illegal Migrants’ (Determination Tribunal) Act which was allegedly heavily tilted in favour of illegal immigrants. The petition was filed by then Asom Gana Parishad MP and now BJP leader and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

    “Doesn’t the Congress feel ashamed of joining hands with the AIUDF, which has filled Assam with infiltration? I want to ask if you will honour Ajmal and show disrespect to (former CM) Tarun Gogoi. Rahul Gandhi, give an answer. Why did you forge an alliance with the AIUDF? You tied up with the Indian Union Muslim League in Kerala and the Furfura Sharif in Bengal. What happened to the Congress? The Congress is going to destroy the country,” Chouhan said.

    He scoffed at Rahul over his promise of setting up a fisheries ministry, stating that it is already in place and “his (Rahul’s) tube light lit a little late.”

    Chouhan accused Ajmal, who is a Lok Sabha member and perfume baron, of spreading poison in the society. He said Gogoi had never compromised with Ajmal and his AIUDF.

    “The Congress has ruled Assam for 55 years but what has it given to the state? The Mughals could not defeat Assam due to the heroics of (Ahom general) Lachit Borphukan. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi gave only infiltration, violence, agitation and unemployment,” Chouhan alleged.

    Also alleging that the Congress has always used the illegal immigrants as its vote bank, the Madhya Pradesh CM predicted that the grand old party would become history under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

  • Congress following Jinnah’s footsteps, will destroy India: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    By PTI

    NAHARKATIA: Instead of following Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress was following “Jinnah’s footsteps”, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday, asserting that it would “destroy” the country.

    Addressing a rally in Naharkatia in poll-bound Assam’s Dibrugarh district, the senior BJP leader said that the Congress has failed to carry out any developmental work in the Northeastern states since Independence.

    “Congress is not following Mahatma Gandhi’s footsteps. Congress and Rahul Gandhi are following Jinnah’s footsteps. And Jinnah’s steps will destroy Assam and India,” Chouhan said, referring to the opposition party’s alliance with AIUDF in Assam, ISF in West Bengal and IUML in Kerala.

    The BJP leader alleged that Rahul Gandhi is “dividing India” into north and south, while doing the same politics in Assam, creating differences between different tribes and communities.

    “Congress ruled Assam for 55 years, but what has it given? The Assam which was not defeated by the Mughals due to the heroism of Lachit Borphukan (Ahom general), Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi gave only infiltration, violence, terrorism, agitation, hunger and unemployment,” Chouhan alleged.

    The Congress will “become a history” under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he claimed.

    Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal was also present at the public meeting.

    Chouhan was in Naharkatia, which is going to the polls in the first phase on March 27, to campaign for first-time BJP candidate Taranga Gogoi, who will have a triangular contest with Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi and Congress’ former minister Pranatee Phukan.

    Sitting AGP MLA Naren Sonowal, part of the BJP-led NDA, is also in a “friendly contest” against the BJP candidate.

  • Night curfew likely in Indore, Bhopal soon to check rising COVID-19 cases

    Express News Service
    BHOPAL: With the fresh wave of the COVID-19 pandemic showing no signs of decline, Madhya Pradesh is likely to impose night curfew in its two premier cities Bhopal and Indore from Sunday or Monday night. The two cities have been reporting more than half of the total number of new daily cases in the state.

    CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan dropped enough hints about imposing night curfew in the two cities after chairing a COVID-19 review meeting in Bhopal, which was attended through a video link by the coronavirus control nodal officers-in-charge of all the districts on Friday evening.

    “COVID-19 is spreading fast again in the state, which is a cause of concern. The spread of the killer virus has to be stopped. All possible efforts, including public awareness programmes, need to be taken immediately. But if the COVID-19 cases continue to rise, then a night curfew could be imposed in Bhopal and Indore from Sunday or Monday night. Instructions have been issued to ensure that in every public hall, only half of the maximum capacity be allowed,” Chouhan said at the meeting.

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    Elaborating further on the situation on Saturday, Chouhan said, “a final decision will be made about Bhopal and Indore on Monday. We need to particularly focus on 10 districts, which are daily reporting more than 10 cases.”

    According to the state COVID-19 situation bulletin released on Friday night, the state reported 603 new cases and two deaths. Out of the 603 new cases, around 60% or 357 cases were reported from Indore and Bhopal. While Indore reported 219 cases, Bhopal reported 138 cases. The other districts, which reported significant number of cases, included Jabalpur with 26 cases, Gwalior with 25 cases and Maharashtra’s neighbouring Chhindwara with 19 cases.

    The CM asked the administration in various districts to encourage people to religiously adhere to all COVID-19 safety norms. In districts such as Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Chhindwara, Burhanpur, Khargone, Ratlam, Ujjain, Betul, Sagar, Rewa, and Khandwa, the police and local municipal bodies should use public address systems on vehicles to ensure that people wear the mask, adhere to social distancing norms, and also adopt all other COVID-19 safety norms.

    The CM laid particular emphasis on the districts bordering Maharashtra. “All passengers coming from Maharashtra via air, rail, and road routes need to strictly undergo thermal screening and be made to compulsorily wear masks.” The meeting also discussed the possibility of limiting the movement of people from Maharashtra into MP.

    With the festival season being close, the CM directed to particularly focus on the thermal screening of migrant workers who have started coming home in various parts of MP from the other states.

  • Madhya Pradesh CM announces Rs 1 crore aid to kin of jawan killed in Chandigarh

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced Rs one crore financial assistance to the family of a security personnel from the state, who was killed in Chhattisgarh two days back in a blast of IED planted by Naxals, officials said on Saturday.

    The jawan, Laxmikant Dwivedi, was a security personnel with the 22nd battalion of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Chhattisgarh.

    He was martyred on Thursday in the blast of a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Maoists.

    The chief minister also announced a government job to a family member of Dwivedi, whose body was brought to Rewa, his home district in MP, on Friday, the officials said.

    Chouhan also announced that his family would be given a house, they added.

    Dwivedi’s last rites were performed at his native village Barchha Kakahra, located arond 150 kms from Rewa district headquarters, on Friday.

    MP Minister of State Ram Khilawan Patel also paid tributes to Dwivedi by reaching his village.

  • Mamata will be out of power on May 2: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asserted on Sunday that the BJP will win the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, and Mamata Banerjee will lose her chief ministership on May 2 — the day the votes will be counted.

    Offering puja at the Dakshineswar Temple on the banks of the Hooghly on the northern fringes of Kolkata, Chouhan said he prayed for a violence-free Bengal.

    “After the misrule by Congress and CPI(M), resulting in Bengal’s decline over the years, the state of affairs touched a new bottom with cut money and corruption culture during Trinamool Congress’s rule. People of the state want a change and will bring BJP to power this time,” he told reporters.

    “On May 2, Didi (Mamata Banerjee) will be out of power and BJP will replace her,” he added.

    Accompanied by a few BJP leaders, Chouhan visited the 19th-century temple around 11 am.

    “This place is associated with Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Maa Sarada. This is also the land of Swami Vivekananda. Visiting this place brings in a divine feeling,” the Madhya Pradesh chief minister said.

    Chouhan alleged that 130 BJP activists were killed in the state in the last few years.

    “Their sacrifices will not go in vain,” he said. Chouhan, like several other BJP chief ministers and Union ministers, was visiting the state to campaign for the party ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

    The Trinamool Congress slammed Chouhan’s comments, stating that they were baseless allegations.

    “Can you imagine someone visiting the temple of Maa Kali to make a political statement? This is only possible for the BJP,” state minister and senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim said.

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan predicts ‘spectacular’ win for BJP in West Bengal polls

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday expressed confidence that the BJP would clinch a “spectacular” victory in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls and come to power in that state as people there have now risen against the “misgovernance” of the Mamata Banerjee-led dispensation.

    He also said that he will take part in the Parivartan Yatra in West Bengal on Sunday.

    Talking to reporters here, Chouhan said, “I will reach Kolkata tonight to take part in the Parivartan rally tomorrow. I will address three public meetings there as part of it.”

    The Election Commission on Friday announced eight-phased polling in West Bengal from March 27 to April 29.

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    “The assembly poll bugle has been sounded in West Bengal. A BJP wave is prevailing there. Mamata didi is frightened and furious too,” he said.

    “That is why Parivartan rallies are being attacked and BJP workers have been killed. But their sacrifice won’t go in vain. West Bengal has risen against Mamata didi’s misgovernance, and also against goodaism, corruption and loot,” Chouhan said.

    The BJP is going to get spectacular success in West Bengal and form a government there, he said.

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan defends references to PM Modi in Governor’s address

    By PTI

    BHOPAL: Two days after the leader of opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Kamal Nath claimed Governor Anandiben Patel’s customary address on the opening day of the budget session had 10 references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday hit back claiming taking the PM’s name was a matter of pride.

    The governor had addressed the House on Monday and Chouhan was replying during the motion of thanks.

    Chouhan said that Modi was a leader with a global stature and said his leadership galvanized people from all walks of life to fight against the coronavirus outbreak. Under the leadership of the PM, the country had grown tall globally by rolling out vaccines to several nations.

    On the opposition’s remark that why the Centre was not being able to find a solution to the farm protests near Delhi if Modi’s name was such an adored one, Chouhan said farmers were not dissatisfied in others parts of the country.

  • Night curfew will be reimposed in Madhya Pradesh if required: Chouhan

    Cautioning people in the backdrop of a spurt in cases of coronavirus in the state, especially in Indore, Chouhan advised citizens to strictly follow COVID-19 guidelines.

  • Day after CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan made wearing mask compulsory, many MLAs spotted sans face masks in Bhopal

    By Express News Service
    BHOPAL: A day after Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while chairing the COVID-19 situation review meeting, directed to ensure mandatory use of face masks in Indore and Bhopal, many legislators were seen sans face masks in Vidhan Sabha premises on the second day of the ongoing budget session on Tuesday.

    Those spotted sans face masks within the Vidhan Sabha premises, included ruling BJP MLAs Usha Thakur (also minister of state), Ramesh Mendola, Yashpal Singh Sisodiya and former health minister Ajay Vishnoi. Even the opposition Congress MLAs were not lagging behind their BJP counterparts in not adhering to respiratory hygiene norms, as Congress legislators, including Sunil Saraf, Siddharth Kushwah and Alok Chaturvedi too were spotted sans face masks.

    When questioned by scribes about not wearing the masks, these MLAs had different excuses on the same issue.

    The BJP MLA from Mhow-Indore and minister of state for tourism and culture Usha Thakur stated “I regularly perform Yoga and also blow conch, which is why there is less possibility of me being infected by the novel Coronavirus. I may not be using a mask, but use my scarf/dupatta to cover my face, when it’s needed.”

    Firebrand BSP MLA Rambai Thakur had another excuse for not wearing a face mask, “On wearing mask, I feel uneasy, often experience feelings of nausea and even get unwell.”

    The Congress MLA from Satna seat Siddharth Kushwah, who is among those MLAs, who has successfully defeated the killer virus in the recent past, boasted, “I forgot the mask inside the Vidhan Sabha. Further, I’ve already been infected by COVID-19 in the past, so I’ll not get infected by it again. Still if you want to make it an issue, you’re free to do it.”

    The BJP MLA from Indore-5 seat Ramesh Mendola, however, ducked questions by the journalists when he was spotted sans face masks in the Vidhan Sabha premises.

    Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to all people in the state, particularly in Indore and Bhopal to compulsorily wear face masks and observe social distancing. “The COVID-19 pandemic is again spreading tentacles, particularly in Indore and Bhopal. Added to it is the drastic rise in the killer virus’s cases in adjoining Maharashtra. I appeal to our state’s population, particularly people in Indore and Bhopal to compulsorily wear masks and religiously follow social distancing,” Chouhan said.