“Mughals were Better Than Shivraj Singh Chauhan Government”: Computer Baba, MoS

Fearing backlash from Hindu seers and their ‘Narmada Ghotala Yatra’, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government accorded minister of state status to five Hindu religious leaders on April 3, 2018. The five are Computer Baba, Bhayyu Maharaj, Pandit Yogendra Mahant, Narmadanand Maharaj and Hariharanand Maharaj.

Earlier, they had in fact planned a statewide campaign named 'Narmada Ghotala Yatra' against the Chouhan government for alleged irregularities in last year's Narmada Sewa Yatra and the 'record' plantation of 6 crore saplings along the riverbanks. However, after getting the MoS status, they dropped the campaign, with Computer Baba telling reporters that "there was no need for it now".

The campaign was scheduled to begin on April 1. But on March 31, the five leaders were appointed to a committee set up for the conservation of Narmada River.

One of the newly appointed MoS, Narmadanand Maharaj has a certificate of being blind issued by Indian Railway. He often traveled on blind man’s concessional ticket. In addition to that, he also has a Below Poverty Line PDS card and enjoys all the benefits of a BPL card holder.

But Newsclick found that he is having normal sight. When contacted Narmadanand Maharaj said, “I was 89% blind. And till 2014, I have traveled on blind passenger’s ticket but when I started Narmada Parikrama with barefoot, I regain my sight. Now, I do use this certificate.”

From March 26, Narmadanand Maharaj had kicked off a 3300-kilometer long Narmada Parikrama from Omkareshwar (MP) with 150 followers and it will conclude on April 11 at the same place where it started from. 

In addition to that, another newly appointed MoS, Computer Baba was having venomous thoughts for the Madhya Pradesh government before the announcement. He was one of the key Hindu religious leaders who had raised their voice against the Shivraj Singh Chauhan government. The 'Narmada Ghotala Yatra' was his brainchild.

In a video shot a couple of months ago by NewsClick, Computer Baba is claiming, “Mughals were better than Shivraj Singh Chauhan led-BJP government. Mughals had protected us, our religious places and also given funds to us but never intervened in our religious activities. But this Shivraj Singh Chauhan led-BJP government is continuously attacking Hinduism, religious seers and trying to grab temple managements into their hands.”

In the 3:21-minute long video he rapped the state government, saying “They have made the government by mooting Hinduism agenda but the government is doing nothing for the Hindus and Hindu seers”.

After getting the MoS status, Computer Baba told media that there was no need for it now. He said: "We have cancelled the campaign because the state government has fulfilled our demand to form a committee of saints and seers for the protection of the Narmada." When asked if there was any "deal" with the government, He said: "I never pressured the government in the name of any ' ghotala ', nor demanded any status. It was the CM who called and honoured us." He added that it was recognition for his service to society and religion.

The third MoS is Pandit Yogendra Mahant, a former Congress corporator and a vocal critic of BJP government. He is the only person from Indore to have the rank of a minister as no BJP MLA from the state's commercial capital has found a place in Shivraj's cabinet. BJP members in Indore expressed displeasure over the development and said Mahant was a critic of Chouhan. A few days ago, Mahant was seen marching with Congress veteran Digivijaya Singh, who is walking 3,400 km to complete a religious Narmada parikrama.

 “The question of a campaign against Narmada yatra does not arise as we will work together with the government for conservation and awareness," Mahant told reporters on Wednesday.

The controversial move of Shivraj Singh Chauhan government is drawing huge criticism from the opposition party. Congress criticised the BJP government for "exploiting religious sentiments for political gain". "It's a political gimmick. An effort by the CM Chauhan to wash his sins," said party spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi. While the State BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal said the opposition "dislikes anything done in reverence to saints".