Digvijay’s Remarks Over PCC Chief’s Land Scam Charge Against CM Yadav Stirs Storm in Congress Meet

Bhopal: The recent remarks by former chief minister Digvijay Singh giving clean chit to chief minister Mohan Yadav in a particular land scam charge hurled against the latter by Madhya Pradesh unit Congress president Jitu Patwari on Tuesday stirred a storm in the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting of the party, leading AICC general secretary Harish Chaudhary to declare that the matter is under examination by the Central party leadership.

Several senior Congress leaders including party MLA Arif Masood and Praveen Pathak raised the issue at the PAC meeting, held virtually, and expressed concern that the contradictory statements by the two senior leaders of the party will create confusion in the public and may cause erosion of credibility of the party.

If the party is not unanimous on anything, then the issue cannot be put before the public forcefully, Mr. Masood said.

Mr. Pathak took a dig at Mr. Singh for contradicting Mr. Patwari’s statement on the issue, saying that it would put leaders in an awkward situation in the public and may dent the party's image.

AICC general secretary in-charge of MP affairs Mr. Chaudhary tried to pacify the members of the PAC, saying that the matter has been taken to the notice of the AICC leadership.

It is under examination of the AICC, he said.

The issue related to the charge made by Mr. Patwari recently that government lands worth Rs 500 crore in Madhya Pradesh were given to a private body, linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), by the Mohan Yadav government.

Mr. Singh, in a recent press conference in Ujjain, however, clarified that the lands were given to a trust owned by the state government, whose ex-officio chairman is the chief minister.

The former chief minister further said that there is no dearth of ‘dalals’ (brokers) in the country and the brokers make false charges to extort money.

Certain media have linked Mr. Singh’s ‘dalal’ remarks to Mr. Patwari, calling it a sign of growing factionalism in state Congress.

Mr. Singh on Tuesday clarified that he never used any ‘objectionable’ words even against a Congress worker, leave alone a Congress leader, in his political career and he has been respectful to all the Congressmen.

He said that his ‘dalal’ remark was aimed at the media outlet which broke the particular land scam story.

Mr. Singh said that the party is united on the issue of fighting against the alleged corruption of the Mohan Yadav government.

“I myself will strongly raise the corruption issues against the chief minister”, he said.