A day after Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Prahlad Patel said that people have gotten used to “begging” the government, the Congress on Sunday (March 2, 2025) termed it the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s “arrogance” and sought the Minister’s resignation.
At an event in Rajgarh district, Mr. Patel, a former Union Minister, said, “People have now gotten used to begging the government. When politicians come, they are handed a bundle of documents. As soon as they get on to the stage, [people] garland them and place a petition in their hands. These are not good habits.”
“Develop a mindset of giving, instead of taking. I guarantee, you will be happy and help build a cultured society. Building this army of beggars will not make the society strong but weakens it,” the senior Minister said, after unveiling a statue of 19th century ruler and freedom fighter Avantibai Lodhi in Suthaliya town.
Saying that the “attraction for freebies” is not respectful towards martyrs, Mr. Patel said, “True respect for a martyr is when we try to live with their principles”. “Do you know any martyr who ever begged anyone,” he asked.
Mr. Patel’s remarks, however, drew sharp criticism from the Opposition Congress with its State unit president Jitu Patwari saying that the reason behind the BJP’s “extreme level of arrogance” was because they got one-sided vote from the public.
“Where should the public go with its problems, if not to the public representatives? Is you seeking votes from the public begging or is it begging when the public demands its right?” Mr. Patwari asked in a video message, claiming that it was the “mindset” of the entire BJP.
“If this is not a [collective] mindset, then you should take Prahlad Patel’s resignation,” he said, taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent Bhopal visit.
“The Prime Minister is so sensitive that he just gave a training to his MPs and MLAs on how to behave in public. Is this the training he gave?” Mr. Patwari said, adding that the Congress would take to the streets if Mr. Patel was not removed from the Cabinet.
Published – March 02, 2025 11:25 pm IST
Congress seeks Madhya Pradesh Minister’s resignation over his people used to begging govt. remark
Union Minister and BJP candidate Prahlad Patel. File
| Photo Credit: A M FARUQUI
A day after Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Prahlad Patel said that people have gotten used to “begging” the government, the Congress on Sunday (March 2, 2025) termed it the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s “arrogance” and sought the Minister’s resignation.
At an event in Rajgarh district, Mr. Patel, a former Union Minister, said, “People have now gotten used to begging the government. When politicians come, they are handed a bundle of documents. As soon as they get on to the stage, [people] garland them and place a petition in their hands. These are not good habits.”
“Develop a mindset of giving, instead of taking. I guarantee, you will be happy and help build a cultured society. Building this army of beggars will not make the society strong but weakens it,” the senior Minister said, after unveiling a statue of 19th century ruler and freedom fighter Avantibai Lodhi in Suthaliya town.
Saying that the “attraction for freebies” is not respectful towards martyrs, Mr. Patel said, “True respect for a martyr is when we try to live with their principles”. “Do you know any martyr who ever begged anyone,” he asked.
Mr. Patel’s remarks, however, drew sharp criticism from the Opposition Congress with its State unit president Jitu Patwari saying that the reason behind the BJP’s “extreme level of arrogance” was because they got one-sided vote from the public.
“Where should the public go with its problems, if not to the public representatives? Is you seeking votes from the public begging or is it begging when the public demands its right?” Mr. Patwari asked in a video message, claiming that it was the “mindset” of the entire BJP.
“If this is not a [collective] mindset, then you should take Prahlad Patel’s resignation,” he said, taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent Bhopal visit.
“The Prime Minister is so sensitive that he just gave a training to his MPs and MLAs on how to behave in public. Is this the training he gave?” Mr. Patwari said, adding that the Congress would take to the streets if Mr. Patel was not removed from the Cabinet.
Published – March 02, 2025 11:25 pm IST
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