Sehore, Jul 21: BJP MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur Sunday kicked up a controversy saying she has not become a lawmaker to clean drains or toilets, a statement the Congress said has "exposed" the "hollowness" of the BJP's flagship 'Swachh Bharat' campaign.
Addressing a meeting of BJP workers here in Madhya Pradesh, Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case who is currently out on bail, said the job of an MP is to work with MLAs, corporators and public representatives to ensure development.
"So keep this in mind...We are not here for cleaning a drain. Is it clear?. We are absolutely not (here) for cleaning your toilets. The work which we are supposed to do and elected for, we will do it honestly. This we had said in the past, saying it today and stick to it in future as well," said Thakur, who won her maiden election from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat by defeating Congress leader Digvijay Singh.
The Hindutva leader further said an MP should be told to do work befitting a parliamentarian.
"An MP's work is to join hands with MLAs, corporators and public representatives for development," she added.
"You got (my) phone number easily and rang (me) up.." Thakur said while referring to a call she had received, apparently from a party worker, when she was in Delhi recently.
Thakur said she would give a "patient hearing" to the workers once the Parliamentary sessions gets over.
"Whatever the problem is it will be resolved. The funds we get (as an MP) will be used for public good," she said.
The ruling Congress in Madhya Pradesh has criticised Thakur's statement.
"Thakur's statement speaks about the BJP and the so-called concern its MPs have had towards the problems faced by people," state Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said.
She said Thakur's statement has "exposed" the "hollowness" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'.
Thakur is not new to controversies.
In the run-to her Lok Sabha elections, she had termed Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a "patriot".
She had also claimed that the then Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks due to her "curse".
Her statement on Godse had evoked strong rebuke from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had said that he would never forgive her for insulting the Father of the Nation.
#WATCH BJP MP from Bhopal, Pragya Thakur in Sehore: Hum naali saaf karwane ke liye nahi bane hain. Hum aapka shauchalaya saaf karne ke liye bilkul nahi banaye gaye hain. Hum jis kaam ke liye banaye gaye hain, vo kaam hum imaandaari se karenge. #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/VT4pcGKkYx
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2019
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Chandigarh (PTI): The Haryana government transferred 15 IAS officers with immediate effect on Wednesday.
Among those who have been transferred are Vineet Garg, Chairman, Haryana State Pollution Control Board. He has been posted as the additional chief secretary to the government's printing and stationery department, relieving Raja Shekhar Vundru of the charge, a government order said.
Ajay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram, has been transferred and posted as the deputy principal secretary-II to the chief minister against a newly-created post.
Pankaj Agarwal, Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Water Resources Department, has been posted as the principal secretary in the architecture department, relieving Apporva Kumar Singh of the charge.
Saket Kumar, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Commissioner and Secretary, Development and Panchayats Department, has been transferred and posted as the commissioner and secretary in the archives department, relieving Shekhar Vidyarthi of the charge.
Mani Ram Sharma, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, has been posted as the secretary in the health department, relieving Rippudaman Singh Dhillon of the charge.
