How BJP govt in Madhya Pradesh mobilised state machinery for big Janmashtami push

Govt instructed all district administrations, schools & colleges to organise cultural programmes. Divisional commissioners & collectors were also directed to have Krishna temples cleaned.

Madhya Pradesh cm Mohan Yadav offers prayer to Krishna at a program organised in Central Jail on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami, in Bhopal on Monday. | ANI

Bhopal: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh has made a big push to mobilise the state machinery for celebrations of the Hindu festival of Krishna Janmashtami, which fell on 26 August this year, with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav declaring, “Bharat mein rehna hoga, Ram-Krishna ki jai kehna hoga,” (To stay in India, you have to praise Ram-Krishna).

On 21 August, the government issued a six-point letter instructing all district administrations, schools, and colleges to organise cultural programmes to mark the birth of the Hindu god Krishna.

The General Administration Department (GAD) directed all divisional commissioners and collectors to have all Krishna temples cleaned and to arrange programmes related to the festival.

All government and private schools and colleges were instructed to invite scholars to give lessons on the teachings and life philosophies of Krishna and host programmes to promote Indian culture and yoga.

The letter also directed that cultural events be organised at places across Madhya Pradesh that are believed to hold special significance in the life of Krishna, such as Janapava (the present-day city of Dewas), Amjhera (Dhar), and Narayana and Sandeepni ashram in Ujjain.

The chief minister also visited several places associated with the deity, attended celebrations across the state, and hosted a cultural programme at his bungalow in Bhopal Tuesday.

On Sunday, at a programme at Indore’s Dashera Maidan—where 5,000 children were dressed as the deity Krishna and an equal number of women as his mother Yashodha—Yadav announced that Gita Bhavan centres will be set up in every district of Madhya Pradesh by the respective municipal corporations.

One village in each block will also be developed as a ‘Barsana’ village—inspired by the village of Barsana, in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, which is linked to Krishna’s consort, Radha—to promote the teachings of Krishna. They will also promote organic farming and animal husbandry to increase milk production, he added.

The government is also working to develop Krishna Gaman Path — the path travelled by Krishna — as a religious circuit. This will entail the development of places in Madhya Pradesh that Krishna is believed to have visited.

The opposition Congress has criticised the government’s actions, accusing it of distracting people with such programmes instead of focusing on governance. A statement made by Yadav during one of the events also led to controversy, with the Congress calling it communal.

‘Can CM afford to act like a temple priest?’

On Tuesday, addressing a gathering at a programme organised in Chanderi, Ashoknagar district, to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami, the CM said, “There is no sentiment of (animosity between) Hindus and Muslims here.”

“We need people who understand God and his universe, which is why Rahim and Raskan, who connected themselves to the soil of the land, are even remembered today, after centuries,” he said, referring to the poets Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khana and Syed Ibrahim Khan, who were devotees of Krishna. “But beware those who eat here but sing praises of others. Bharat ke andar rehna hoga toh Ram-Krishna ki jai kehna hoga. There is nothing outside of it.”

He further said, “In our country, we respect everyone, and when I visited the handloom park, both Hindus and Muslims have been working hard and making Chanderi sarees. This is the feeling of purity we need.”

“You can follow any religion and have any custom of worship, you are free to practice it, but utmost importance has to be given to patriotism.”

Yadav’s statement was criticised by the Congress.

Speaking to ThePrint, Congress state president Jitu Patwari said, “Bhagwan (god) Ram and Krishna are worshipped by all living beings, they belong to all. But these actions of the state government beg the question of what the role of the government is.”

“Is it not its job to ensure quality education, employment opportunity and security and protection to women? But instead of doing its job, the government wants people to be blinded by these programmes and not ask real and tough questions,” he said. “Mohan Yadav is a chief minister; can he afford to act and sit like a temple priest?”

Congress spokesperson K.K. Mishra said, “India is a secular country where Ram, Rahim, Guru Nanak, Gautam Buddha and Mahavir have all taken birth. But when an administrator himself is promoting conflict amongst religions and fanning communalism, then where is the space for the secular values of our constitution to be enforced?”

(Edited by Sanya Mathur)