A political controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh over a government order asking beneficiaries of various welfare schemes to write gratitude postcards to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The opposition Congress has termed the exercise a “misuse of power” by state machinery.
According to orders issued by various district panchayats, the state’s rural development department has assigned targets to different departments to send such gratitude posts by beneficiaries of various central and state government schemes to the PM and the CM.
The directive came at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government has launched statewide Vikas Yatras (development rallies) to engage with people on development and pro-poor schemes. Launched by CM Chouhan from Bhind district on February 5, the yatras will cover all 230 assembly constituencies till February 25.
“In the video conferencing of chief minister organised by the state government on February 12, it was asked to ensure that gratitude/thanks (through postcards) should be conveyed to the Prime Minister and Chief Minister regarding the benefits received by beneficiaries in all the schemes operated in the district,” said a February 15 order by the Harda district panchayat to various departments.
The general administration department has instructed for adequate publicity of Vikas Yatras being carried out in all the villages and urban wards of the state through media, social media and other mediums, the order said.
The Harda district panchayat has set a target for 21 departments to send 141,000 gratitude postcards. “We have given targets according to beneficiaries of different departments,” said Harda district panchayat chief executive officer (CEO) Rohit Sesoniya. “We are not going to force anyone for writing postcards.”
Officials familiar with the development said the postcard is being written to “remind the beneficiaries” about the government benefits they were receiving.
“Beneficiaries themselves want to say thank and we are just a medium. Janpad CEOs and panchayat officials are providing postcards and address to them (beneficiaries) so that they can convey their gratitude,” said Ajay Shrivasatava, CEO, Damoh district panchayat. “In Damoh, we have not given any department-wise target, but have asked to cover all the beneficiaries.”
Some officials said they were issued instructions about the postcards, but were asked to do it without issuing any order. “The senior government officials have been asked to ensure maximum number of postcards be sent to the Prime Minister and the chief minister to say thanks, but not to issue any official order,” said a senior panchayat department official, requesting anonymity. “It is hard to understand how district panchayat CEOs released order in this regard.”
The issue has created a political uproar in the state, which will head to the assembly polls later this year. The opposition Congress attacked the BJP, accusing it of “forcing” beneficiaries to write gratitude postcards.
“What does the BJP-led state government want to achieve with this? They first announced to organise Vikas Yatra by misusing government machinery. Collectors and other district administration officers are busy in holding Vikas Yatra,” said state Congress spokesperson KK Mishra. “And now, the task has been assigned to panchayat officials to get in writing thank you of beneficiaries. They are misusing power in Madhya Pradesh.”
BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai said, “The orders of district CEOs are wrong. In the past 17 years, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan never asked anyone to send thanks letter or convey gratitude…”
(with inputs from Mukesh Pandey from Harda)
