New Delhi: Final week, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan introduced a brand new Brahmin Welfare Board to take care of the pursuits of the group within the state. Approaching Parashuram Jayanti and with an meeting election due this 12 months, the choice is being seen because the ruling BJP’s counter to the Congress’s Dharm Samvad in addition to its pujari prakoshth or priest cell.
The priest cell itself, created final 12 months, was a part of the Congress’s technique to counter the BJP’s allegation that it engaged in appeasement of spiritual minorities, social gathering leaders had instructed ThePrint. The Dharm Samvad, held on the state Congress headquarters in Bhopal on 2 April, was one other effort by the social gathering to deal with the “grievances” of monks, in response to Congress leaders.
Nonetheless, Chouhan hasn’t stopped at Brahmins. Earlier this month, the federal government introduced 4 extra boards for Different Backward Class (OBC) communities — Vishwakarma, Swarnkala, Rajak, and Telghani — who, in response to media stories quoting statistics division estimates, kind about 1 crore of the inhabitants. These comprise 42 lakh individuals from the Vishwakarma group, 35 lakh Rajaks, 18 lakh Telghanis and 5.8 lakh members of the Swarnkala group.
These welfare boards are simply the present ones. Chouhan has constituted a number of such boards in his earlier tenures as effectively.
Talking in regards to the Brahmin Welfare Board whereas in Bhopal on 23 April, Chouhan talked about a number of measures taken by the state authorities for the welfare of the pandit/purohit group. He additionally introduced the event of Janapav, believed to be the birthplace of Parashuram — an incarnation of Hindu god Vishnu — and an increment within the wage of monks to Rs 5,000 from Rs 3,500.
Temple monks, he additional stated, may have the ability to public sale temple land as an alternative of the district collector.
Chouhan added that the lifetime of Parashuram was included within the Class 8 syllabus of state authorities colleges and three,547 Sanskrit lecturers had been recruited within the current previous.
In keeping with media stories, Brahmins, although no more than 5 per cent of the voters, maintain sway in 30 out of 230 meeting seats within the Vindhya and Gwalior-Chambal area.
“Within the final meeting elections (2018), Brahmin resentment grew to become a problem however this time, the chief minister has catered to even the widespread devotee by giving the management of temple land to its priest,” a state BJP chief stated to ThePrint.
A BJP vice-president within the state unit instructed ThePrint, “In 2018, Kamal Nath had linked with the smaller castes who, in return, voted for the Congress (the social gathering fared higher on SC/OBC seats). This time, the BJP doesn’t need to take any probabilities by leaving any caste out…”
Explaining the rationale behind a number of separate boards or commissions, BJP’s state head of the OBC Morcha, Narayan Kushwah, instructed ThePrint over the cellphone: “The essential premise of making separate commissions is that they will think about the curiosity of the respective caste and ship their suggestion to the federal government for its welfare. Welfare insurance policies for the respective communities may be applied by these commissions.”
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Boards galore
Previously month, Chouhan has shaped 4 boards, every catering to a group – Vishwakarma, Telghani, Swarnkala, and Rajak. These boards come underneath the state technical schooling division and are supposed to practice and supply employment to the youth of their respective communities.
Vishwakarmas historically interact in making iron and wooden merchandise. The Union Funds this 12 months features a particular scheme — the Prime Minister Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman — for the welfare of this group. Leaders of the group met Kamal Nath on 16 March and the Congress additionally introduced a Vishwakarma prakoshth quickly after.
Members of the Rajak samaj, or blacksmith group, which is included within the OBC class in Madhya Pradesh, are searching for inclusion within the SC class. Some had introduced that they might gherao the CM on 10 April however Chouhan introduced the board earlier than that.
For the Telghani group, aside from the board, the CM has introduced that their pilgrimage locations in Mandsaur and Nawagarh shall be redeveloped. He additionally invited a delegation of the group to debate their calls for, in response to an announcement by the federal government’s public relations division.
For the Soni or Swarnkala group, the CM introduced late final month an honorarium of Rs 8,000 per 30 days. In keeping with a authorities assertion, the CM additionally introduced an idol of the group’s Aradhyadev Maharaj Ajmidhdevji in Bhopal.
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Destiny of earlier boards
The state already has a board for the final class — the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Samanya Varg Kalyan Aayog, earlier referred to as Samanya Nirdhan Varg Kalyan Aayog.
Whereas these 4 boards have come forward of state elections, many earlier boards have existed with out a chairperson or funding. The Mati Kala board for the Kumhar or potter group, or the Kesh Kala board for the Nai or barber group, introduced throughout Chouhan’s earlier tenures, don’t have chairpersons.
The Mati Kala board got here up in 2008 when Chouhan was the CM. It had Ashok Prajapati as its chairperson however as soon as he accomplished his tenure in 2018, there was no substitute for him until this 12 months, in January, when the federal government appointed former MLA R.D. Prajapati as its chairperson. The board lacks a price range or a constructing.
Board chairperson R.D. Prajapati instructed ThePrint over the cellphone, “We don’t have any constructing or price range however I’ve requested the federal government for the latter. I’ve requested the CM to offer us land additionally to make our personal constructing in order that we will run a scheme for his or her improvement. Prajapatis are 65 lakh in numbers within the state they usually have very restricted technique of livelihood.”
In 2013, proper earlier than the meeting election that 12 months, then incumbent CM Chouhan created the Kesh Shilpi board and Nand Kishore Verma was made its chairperson. Verma was once more made the chairperson forward of the 2018 polls however his tenure was for under six months. As of now, the board has no chairperson, nor any constructing to function from.
Former chairperson Verma instructed ThePrint over the cellphone, “I’ve reminded the CM fairly just a few instances to nominate a chairperson and represent the board however that hasn’t been accomplished until date. The board has no price range and no constructing.”
In the meantime, Chouhan has accorded the standing of cupboard minister to chairpersons of 12 such boards and minister of state standing to 4 vice-chairpersons, in response to media stories.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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