Soft Hindutva, Opposition Unity Mark Kamal Nath's Swearing-in Ceremony

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Congress is taking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP’s) path of ‘Hindutva’ to counter the saffron party in the upcoming 2019 general elections.

After the success of the ‘soft Hindutva’ card played by the Congress during the campaign of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, the party is brazenly played the Hindutva card during the swearing-in ceremony of Kamal Nath as Chief Minister.

Hoardings of Lord Hanuman were erected all over the city including in the oath ceremony venue, reflecting Nath’s fondness of the deity.

One hoarding said, ‘Shiv Bhakt Rahul Gandhi Ji ka Shat Shat Abhaar aur Hanuman Bhakt Kamal Nath ko Madhya Pradesh ka chief minister banne per badhai.’ (Hundreds of salutes to Shiv Bhakt Rahul Gandhi and to Hanuman Bhakt Kamal Nath for becoming Chief Minister).

Minutes before the swearing-in ceremony, the crowd was heard raising slogans like ‘Gau Mata zindabad, Gau bhakto ke Sarkar zindabad’ (Long Live the Sacred Mother Cow, Long Live the Government of Cow-Worshippers) when a Congress leader chanted this slogan from the dais.

Following this, former minister of state (MoS) and Hindu seer Computer Baba addressed the gathering and started his speech with ‘Gau Mata Zindabad. Bharat Mata Zindabad. Ab gai hai Gau bhakto ke sarkar’. (Sacred Cow Long Live, Mother India Long Live, Now we have a Cow-Worshipping Government).

Computer Baba said, “Now, the real Hindu government is in power in Madhya Pradesh. And they (Congress) are the real protector of cows.” He phased off his speech with the same slogans.

Minutes after Computer Baba’s speech, Madhya Pradesh former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan came on the stage.

To counter BJP during the Assembly election campaign, Congress played ‘soft Hindutva’ card to woo the voters. Congress president Rahul Gandhi kick-started every rally by visiting temples, and had been branded as ‘Shiv Bhakt, Ram Bhakt and Narmada Bhakt.’

Besides, Congress promised to set up gaushalas (cow shelters) in every village panchayat of the state. Later, Congress countered the saffron party for its decade-long unfulfilled promise of construction of ‘Ram Gaman Path’, and even added both the issues in their manifesto.

The swearing-in ceremony of Nath took place in Jambhuri Madian of state capital on Monday. Six days after the assembly results, the Congress had planned to make the swearing-in ceremony a mega-event to showcase the unity of opposition against the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government.

In a massive show of Opposition unity and amidst chants of Vedic hymns, Nath on Monday took oath as 28th Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.

The oath was administered by Governor Anandiben Patel, who also holds  additional charge of Chhattisgarh. The ceremony was conducted by Chief Secretary BP Singh. Kamal Nath took the oath alone, while rest of his cabinet will be sworn in later.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by scores of Hindu sadhus. Shankaracharya Swarooopanand's representative and leaders of various religions, including Islam, were present on the dais to bless the new Chief Minister.

 Three former BJP chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, namely, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Babulal Gaur and Kailash Chandra Joshi, former MP CM and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh were also present for the swearing-in ceremony.

Minutes after becoming Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath signed the circular to waive off the farm loans below Rs 2 lakh.

Also in attendance were Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, deputy CM Sachin Pilot, Puducherry CM Narayanasamy, Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, former Union minister Mohsina Kidwai, Anand Sharma, Raj Babbar, former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah.