'82 per cent are Hindus in India': Kamal Nath on Hindu Rashtra demand
Bhopal, Aug 8: Senior Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Kamal Nath on Tuesday asked whether it is needed to say separately that India is a "Hindu Rashtra" given the fact that 82 per cent of Hindus live in the country.
"World's largest Hindu population lives in our country. 82 per cent of Hindus reside here. It is not a debatable issue. It is not something to be told. These are statistics...What is the need to say it separately?" Nath shot back when reporters sought his comment on spiritual preacher Dhirendra Shastri's purported demand to make India a Hindu Rashtra.
The spiritual discourse of Shastri, also known as Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, was organised on Nath's home turf Chhindwara which concluded on Monday.
Nath, a former MP chief minister, alleged the government has failed to prevent atrocities against tribals in Manipur and also in Madhya Pradesh.
"There is a raging dispute between tribals and non-tribals even as the country is going to celebrate the World Tribal Day on August 9," he added.
Nath claimed 15 youths from Anuppur district in MP were thrashed by a private company owner in Gujarat's Rajkot district on the suspicion of theft.
"They were kept as hostages and four of them sustained serious injuries. A video of atrocities against them also went viral," he alleged.
Nath asked MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to list steps taken by him so far regarding the "atrocity" committed against tribal youth in Rajkot.
He accused the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government of failing to protect tribals in MP and cited certain incidents including the alleged gang rape of two ST girls in Rewa district and firing on a tribal youth in Singrauli district.
Queried on Congress MLA Umang Singhar's demand for having a tribal chief minister, Nath said," Ultimately, it's the choice of the people who decide the chief minister and everybody knows this".
The assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are due later this year.
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TMC will be voted back to power in Bengal: Tejashwi Yadav
Patna (PTI): Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, on Tuesday exuded confidence that the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC will again be voted to power in West Bengal.
Yadav returned to Patna after a four-day poll campaign in West Bengal.
“The atmosphere there is euphoric and people want to bring Didi (Mamata Banerjee) back to power. I am fully confident that the TMC will win the election,” he told reporters here.
He said that a large number of people from Bihar living in West Bengal share a lot of love and respect for Mamata Banerjee.
Responding to BJP’s allegations that the TMC had “ruined” West Bengal during its tenure, the RJD leader said the “entire country has been ruined under the Narendra Modi-led government”.
“I want to ask one question to Modi ji – you have been prime minister for more than 11 years, tell me one thing you have done for Bengal,” Yadav said.
The first phase of elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
