While the Chief Minister Shiv Raj Singh Chouhan hosted a massive lunch to mark what he called the BJP's return to power, Congress took out "Tiranga Yatras" to condemn the murder of democracy.

Lunch was organised in honour of Jyotiraditrya Scindia and his supporters. Chief Minister Chouhan invited especially those who had walked out of the Congress and joined the BJP. It was because of Scindia and his supporters that the BJP has been able to form the government in the state again. Scindia specially came to Bhopal to join the lunch.

Besides Scindia state BJP president V.D. Sharma, Co-organisational general secretary Hitanand Sharma, all general secretaries of the state BJP were present on the occasion. The former legislators who lost the by-elections and a few supporters of Scindia were also present at the event.

Chouhan welcomed all of them by giving out saplings. He said there had been corruption in the state which was on the verge of ruin. The Kamal Nath government was ousted for the welfare of the state. Scindia played an important role in it.

Scindia said that when he had raised some issues, the Congress leaders had silenced him. Nath was not ready to talk about the problems of farmers and those of youths. It was Digvijaya Singh who was actually controlling the Congress government, Scindia said adding that he had no other way than to leave the party.

Congress marked the anniversary of the 'murder of democracy' by observing Save democracy, save constitution day. Besides Bhopal Tiranga yatras were taken out in all the districts and major towns of the state. Congress leaders paid floral tribute at statues of Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar. In Bhopal Police did not allow the Congress to take out rally.

In his speech former Chief Minister and state Congress chief Kamal Nath said "We kept democracy alive and followed the Constitution". Kamal Nath's video message was sent to all district and block party offices across the state.

In his video speech, Nath said people voted for a Congress government in 2018. While voting for Congress people were expecting a new dawn. "We worked to fulfill your expectations and our promises" he said.

"We got only 15 months to work. Our government's work and welfare schemes exposed BJP's 15 years of false promises and attention-diversion politics. Seeing the rapid development in the state, BJP rejected the people's mandate and formed a government through deals," the former CM said.

Nath claimed that he was aware of the dealings under taken by BJP. "I had two options. Either I could have indulged in dealings and kept the government or respected democracy and the provisions of the Constitution. I chose to go with the latter and on March 20, 2020 resigned from the post of chief minister. I am extremely proud that we followed the Constitution and kept democracy alive," he said.

"Today is the day of respect for the democracy. India's freedom movement wasted led by Mahatma Gandhi, B. R. Ambedkar and many such tall leaders who wanted the country to be free. Congress is the only party that knows the true meaning of free India because it fought for Independence," Nath said. "Democracy will live so long as people choose their governments" he added.

While Nath was away in Delhi, the event in Bhopal was led by the former chief minister Digvijaya Singh, former union minister Suresh Pachauri also joined the programme at the state Congress headquarters in Bhopal.

Addressing the rally Digvijaya Singh said Chief Minister Chouhan in his new avatar is behaving like an autocrat. Despite repeated attempts, chief minister is incommunicado and has no time to speak to even former chief ministers. "I am pained that he has no time to speak to us" he said.

Digvijaya Singh said that along with PCC chief Kamal Nath, he tried to reach out to Chouhan after the alleged murder of a block Congress president in Chhatarpur district. "From March 18, our calls were not returned. We were told that the chief minister will speak to us later since he is very bust at present. Maybe he is busy, but is he so busy that he has no time to speak to former chief ministers over the phone?" he asked.

"I want to remind Chouhan that during my tenure of ten years, not just former BJP chief ministers, I even spoke to their workers, I utterly condemn such behaviour coming from him" Digvijaya said.

Narh and Singh wanted to speak to Chouhan about the alleged murder of the block Congress president from Chhatarpur district, Inder Singh Parmar.

"Five years ago, Parmar's brother Bhagwat Singh was also murdered and those arrested for the heinous crime were released on bail and even today under political protection, they are engaging in terror in Chhatarpur," Digvijaya alleged. He said that BJP should not think that Congress is weak. "We will not repose till stringent action is taken against the culprits," he said. (IPA Service)