Cong launches 'Nyay Yatra' in poll year, targets MP govt over

Udaipura (MP): Gearing up for the Assembly polls due later this year, the opposition Congress today launched a ‘march for justice’, raising the issue of suicide of Priti Raghuvanshi, who, according to her family, was married to PWD minister Rampal Singh’s son.

The ‘Nyay Yatra’, which started from Udaipura in Raisen district, will conclude in Bhopal tomorrow after covering a distance of about 200 kms. While launching the ‘Nyay Yatra’, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Ajay Singh said similar marches for justice will be taken out in every town.

“People will teach a lesson to the BJP in the election. Farmers, workers, women and common people have been cheated, and want justice,” the Congress leader said. On the occasion, the woman’s family demanded lodging of an FIR against the minister’s family members within 24 hours.

“There are two kinds of laws in Madhya Pradesh. One is for ministers and BJP leaders, and another for common people. When crime involves common people, the Chief Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) talks of enacting stricter laws, but his definition changes whenever his own people get involved,” Singh said.

The Congress leader also accused the chief minister of avoiding discussion in the House when the Opposition brought an adjournment motion on the Priti Raghuvanshi suicide case. State Congress chief Arun Yadav said, “We are here making a resolve to uproot the BJP rule which failed to provide justice to Priti, farmers, labourers and common people. In the last 15 years, every section of the society had to suffer due to the BJP’s misrule.”

Minister Rampal Singh was close to CM Chouhan, Yadav claimed, adding, “Everybody knows who forced Priti to take the extreme step.” Sharing the dais with the Congress leaders, Priti’s brother Manjit Raghuvanshi said, “Nineteen days have passed since my sister committed suicide. Our statements were recorded by police, but no action has been taken. Our family members, who are government employees, are being pressurised (to withdraw the allegations).”

Astha Raghuvanshi, a family member, alleged, “Priti was forced to commit suicide due to the minister’s trickery. Priti’s father Chandan Singh was also present on stage. On March 17, 28-year-old Priti Raghuvanshi, who had allegedly married Rampal Singh’s son Girjesh Pratap Singh in June 2017, committed suicide at her parents’ house here.

Her family and the minister are neighbours. The family members alleged that she ended her life as Rampal Singh was planning to marry off his son to another woman. The minister, when confronted by reporters, had only said that if his son had accepted that Priti was his wife, he too would be ready to accept her as his (late) daughter-in-law.

Police, who haven’t registered any FIR yet, had said they were recording statements and the probe was on. The Congress had raised the issue in the Budget session last month too. The party has been alleging that Girjesh Pratap Singh was going to marry for a second time at his father’s behest, and was “pressurising” Priti to return their marriage papers.

Girijesh had participated in the rituals which followed the woman’s last rites. Ajay Singh also slammed chief minister Chouhan over the induction of Narsinghpur MLA Jalam Singh in the cabinet. It was done with an eye on the Lodhi community’s votes ahead of Kolaras and Mungaoli by elections (which the BJP lost), he claimed.

“Jalam Singh and minister Lal Singh Arya are facing criminal charges. According to Narsinghpur police, Jalam Singh is absconding while Arya is facing charges of murder. Surprisingly, an absconder took the oath as a minister in the Raj Bhawan,” the Congress leader said.

Commenting on the government’s decision to accord the Minister of State status to five Hindu religious leaders, Singh said, “The Babas who threatened to expose a scam in the Narmada conservation programme were accorded MoS status. Such a thing has never happened in the country.