In the election year, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh is wooing all sections of the society including the crucial dalit voters. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the building of a grand temple worth Rs 100 crores dedicated to Sant Ravidas – a venerated saint known for his fight against casteism - in Badtuma of Sagar district.
The chief minister’s announcement came at a Sant Ravidas Mahakumbh held in Sagar on Wednesday.
Chouhan also made other important announcements for dalit (scheduled caste) community. These include increasing the annual income limit of the family for the scholarship of Scheduled Caste students from Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 8 lakh. Also, 20 per cent land for industrial purposes will be reserved for SC/ST youth to encourage them to set up industries.
In the MSME cluster policy, a cluster will be especially reserved for the SC industrialists. Along with this, land will be given to persons of SC category for setting-up allotted petrol pumps. Nodal officers will be appointed in the Industries Department to guide the entrepreneurs belonging to SC category. Relaxation will also be given in the store purchase rule in the service and trading centers. Chouhan said that to ensure the safety of sanitation workers, the manholes will be cleaned only with machines thus doing away with manual cleaning.
Speaking at the Mahakumbh, the CM said the couplets and teachings of Sant Ravidas will be engraved on the walls of the temple. The personality and work of Sant Ravidas will also be displayed on the temple premises. Chouhan said that the vision of Sant Ravidas Maharaj's ideal state has been realised in Madhya Pradesh.
He quoted the saint's words, "Aisa chahu raj main, jahan mile saban ko ann, chhote-bado sab sam base, Ravidas rahe prasann (I want such a rule, where everyone gets food, small and big all live together, everyone remains happy).
“We are walking on the same path shown by him,” Chouhan said. Food, education, medicine, house, and employment are being ensured for everyone in the state. There is no caste distinction in the state, no one is big or small, everyone is equal, everyone has equal opportunity and everyone is respected equally.
He further said that under the Mukhya Mantri Teerth-Darshan Yojana, a pilgrimage train will go from Madhya Pradesh to Banaras, the birthplace of Sant Ravidas.
Chouhan also spoke about the new ‘Ladli Behna Yojana’ scheme of the state, wherein Rs 1000 cash assistance per month will be given to women of poor and middle class.
The CM also performed the ground breaking ceremony of the Shahgarh-Banda group water supply scheme costing Rs. 251.25 crore. He garlanded an idol of Sant Ravidas and also paid respect to the seers attending the event.
Chouhan also attacked opposition Congress and ex-CM Kamal Nath on the occasion saying that the party never did any good for the dalit community and just kept talking about it. He said that by not bowing to seers who follow Sant Ravidas’s teachings, Kamal Nath has insulted them.
Former union minister Satyanarayan Jatia, while addressing the gathering, said that the launching of Sant Ravidas Mahakumbh is a good start by the Madhya Pradesh government. A new atmosphere has been created for the upliftment of the (dalit) society in the state, which will lead the state and the country towards development.
MP and BJP state president Vishnu Dutt Sharma said that with the constant efforts of Chief Minister Chouhan, an egalitarian society based on social harmony is being developed in Madhya Pradesh. Sant Ravidas Mahakumbh is a crucial effort in this connection. The state polity is in accordance with the concept of Sant Ravidas.
National President of BJP SC Morcha Lal Singh Arya said that all-round efforts are being made for the upliftment of the Scheduled Caste community under the leadership of Chouhan. Members of the community have been given adequate representation and responsibility of important departments in the state cabinet.
State tribal affairs and scheduled caste welfare minister Meena Singh proposed the vote of thanks.
Many other ministers including Bhupendra Singh, Jagdish Deora, Govind Singh Rajput, Prabhu Ram Chaudhary, Water Resources, Tulsiram Silavat, Gopal Bhargava, Arvind Bhadauria and Member of Parliament Raj Bahadur were also present.
