The Indian Express : Jul 04, 2020, 02:08 PM
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who often describes Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “bhagwan ka vardan” (boon of god), went a step ahead on Friday, seemingly attributing divine powers to the PM.Chouhan, a BJP national vice-president, was speaking at an event at the party headquarters in Bhopal to mark the 100 days of the party-led government in the state.Accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of indulging in politics of poor taste, Chouhan said, “He will challenge Modi ji? Modi ji Bharat ko bhagwan ka vardan hain. (Modi ji is a gift of god to India).”Reciting a Gita verse, the CM said, “Ab bhagwan sidhe avatar nahi lete. Lekin Narendra Modi jaise neta ko dekhte hai to yeh lagta hai ki bina ishwari shakti ke itna kam koi sadharan vyakti nahi kar sakta (God does not take birth but whenever I see a leader like Narendra Modi, I feel no ordinary man can do so much work without godly powers).”Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, who spoke at the event, also lavished praise on Modi, calling him sensitive and courageous. The former Union minister said the PM’s decision to impose the lockdown saved tens and thousands of lives, who would have otherwise perished to the coronavirus. He said under Modi the country has given a befitting reply to China.Referring to the Congress and the janta curfew on March 22, Scindia said on one hand there is a party that imposed the Emergency and on the other hand, there is a leader who requested people with folded hands to stay indoors and they responded spontaneously.Scindia and Chouhan praised each other as well, and launched a broadside against former CM Kamal Nath, who they said was more interested in “holding IIFA awards” than controlling the coronavirus.