ON THE call of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, the city unit of Congress staged a protest at Ghantaghar Chowk, on Saturday, condemning the controversial statement given by State Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Patel. During the demonstration, Congress leaders and workers also submitted a memorandum to the district administration and demanded action against the state minister.

 

A large number of Congress leaders and workers participated in the protest and strongly criticized Patel’s alleged unconstitutional and objectionable remarks. They called for his resignation. Speaking on the occasion, City President Saurabh Sharma said that Bharatiya Janata Party Ministers are consistently making undemocratic and divisive statements, which the Congress party will not tolerate. He said that Congress workers will continue to raise their voices democratically against such anti-public remarks. It may be noted that the controversy began when, at an event to unveil the statue of Veerangana Rani Avantibai Lodhi in Suthalia, Rajgarh on March 1, Patel said that people have developed a habit of seeking freebies from the government.

 

He said, “Leaders come, garland and hand over demand letters. This is not a good habit. Instead of taking, we should develop the mindset of giving. A society that depends on handouts becomes weak, not strong.” He added that true respect for martyrs comes from living by their values rather than relying on government aid. Following the protest, a delegation of senior Congress leaders submitted a memorandum to the district administration, insisting that State Minister Prahlad Patel either apologise for his statement or resign immediately.