Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh responds to Congress leader's ‘nange-bhookhe’ remark.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday hit back at the Congress party over 'nange bhooke ghar ka' (from a poverty-stricken household) jibe. Shivraj, fondly called 'mama' in the state, said that he understands the pain of the deprived and downtrodden because he hails from a poor background.
"I am from a nange bhooke ghar ka, and that's why I understand their pain. I am poor and, therefore, ensure poor children go to school by becoming their mama (as the CM is affectionately called by supporters). I am poor, therefore, I perform kanyadaan (giving away the bride) of daughters of poor families," he tweeted in Hindi.
Speaking separately at an election rally in Guna, Shivraj said, "I understand the pain of the poor but an industrialist won't".
Earlier on Sunday, Congress farmers' cell leader Dinesh Gurjar during an election rally in Rajpur of Ashoknagar called Shivraj 'nange bhooke ghar ka'. He also called former CM Kamal Nath a 'big industrialist'. "Kamal Nath desh ke doosre number ke udyogpati hai. Shivraj ki tarah nange bhooke ghar ke nahi (Kamal Nath is a big industrialist. He is not like Shivraj who is from a poverty-stricken household)," Dinesh said.
Kamal Nath was present on the dais when Dinesh Gurjar made the remark. Nath served as the CM of Madhya Pradesh for 15 months. He vacated the office in March following a rebellion by then party colleague Jyotiraditya Scindia.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress are engaged in a bitter tussle for 28 Assembly seats where bypolls are scheduled for November 3. Most of these seats are around Gwalior, areas where Jyotiraditya Scindia has an influence.
