A fresh political storm has erupted in Madhya Pradesh after Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's remarks at the state-level sarpanch conference at Jamburi Maidan in Bhopal triggered strong reactions from the Congress. State Congress president Jitu Patwari has demanded that the Chief Minister issue an immediate public apology for what he called an "insult to government employees and the spirit of Gram Swaraj."
Addressing thousands of sarpanches and panchayat representatives, the Chief Minister made a fiery speech emphasising the government's commitment to strengthening the Panchayati Raj system. But his one particular line sparked controversy. "Koi sachiv agar kaam nahi karega to saale ko hata denge, Inki kya aukaat (If a secretary doesn't work, we'll remove him. What is their worth?)
The Chief Minister went on to say that the sarpanch is the real executor of government schemes on the ground, and that strengthening panchayats is a top priority for his government. "When we sit in front of a sarpanch, the secretary and employment assistant must also be present. The power you (sarpanches) have is not even available to those in higher positions. What a sarpanch can do, no one else can."
During the conference, Yadav announced that panchayats will be authorised to undertake development works worth up to Rs 25 lakh, and each panchayat representative will receive Rs 50,000 for local development.
He also approved the construction of 2,472 Atal Panchayat Bhavans, 1,037 community buildings, 106 Janpad Panchayat offices, and 5 Zila Panchayat buildings across the state.
Yadav praised the sarpanches as "the backbone of rural development," stating that the transformation of Madhya Pradesh's villages lies in their hands.
Reacting sharply, State Congress President Jitu Patwari accused the Chief Minister of "abusing government officials" and undermining the principles of gram swaraj. "I thank the Chief Minister and Minister Prahlad Patel for attending the sarpanch conference, but today the Chief Minister abused the secretaries and employment assistants, killing the very idea of gram Swaraj," Patwari said.
He went further to allege corruption within the rural development setup, claiming that the ministry operates on a '50 per cent commission' model. "The Chief Minister should be ashamed of abusing secretaries and employment assistants instead of protecting the rights of sarpanchs. He has abused me five times publicly, this shows his mindset," Patwari added, urging secretaries and employment assistants to protest against the remarks.
The row comes at a time when the government is actively promoting rural governance reforms and development programs ahead of the panchayat election season. While BJP leaders dismissed the Congress criticism as "political theatrics," the opposition sees the episode as evidence of arrogance and disregard for the administrative machinery.
