Umang Singhar is counted as one of the prominent politicians in Madhya Pradesh. He is the Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly and an influential tribal leader. He currently represents the Gandhwani Assembly constituency.

He had served as a Cabinet minister under the Kamal Nath-led Congress government. In an interview with Santu Das of The Statesman, Singhar talks about the organizational rebuilding of the party and its vision for Madhya Pradesh, and current political situation. He accuses the ruling BJP dispensation of not fulfilling its promises, and also pitches for holding elections through ballots instead of EVM.

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Q: The Congress has many seniors in Madhya Pradesh but after 2023, we have seen the party appointing young leaders to senior posts. You and Jitu Patwari were given the responsibility of the state. So, what is the future roadmap of Congress in Madhya Pradesh?

A: Our priority is organizational rebuilding of the Congress. We are focusing on this. Secondly, the issues of the state. The BJP in its manifesto had promised this and that for youth, women and farmers of the state. All the promises made by the BJP, they could not fulfill within a year. The Chief Minister (Mohan Yadav) always says that BJP’s manifesto is like ‘Gita and Ramayana’, but today the youth are not getting jobs in the state and farmers are worried as they do not get fertilizers on time. They had promised to give Rs 3,000 to women under ‘Ladli Behna Yojana’, but they are giving Rs 1,250 per month. The BJP could not fulfill the commitments it made to the people of the state.

Q: The state had witnessed the Vyapam scam. Do you think this case has been strictly dealt with by the state government?

A: The government has never taken Vyapam seriously. Whatever investigations take place, the government hides them. In the Assembly, the laying of the annual report of Lokayukta has been pending since 2010. The government does not want to talk about corruption. The latest are the ‘nursing scam’ and ‘transport scam’. I took up the transport scam, but the government is quiet. So, the government itself is promoting corruption. Whether it is Vyapam, Nursing or Transport scams, in every matter the ministers and officers are involved in corruption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about zero tolerance for corruption, but the BJP government in the state does not want to take action against corruption. Where is zero tolerance ? Why doesn’t the Prime Minister take action?

Q: Agriculture contributes a significant portion of the state’s economy. The BJP government has been stating that it is working for the development of farmers. What would you like to say ?

A: The BJP government took many awards for years in the name of farmers. But, whether it is farmers from Madhya Pradesh or from other parts of the country, everyone knows what their situation is. The government should give a minimum support price (MSP) to the farmers. Whether the Modi government at the Centre or the BJP government in the state, why don’t they take decisions in this regard? Modi ji had said that he would double farmers’ income. But, he did not. In Madhya Pradesh, the farmers do not get fertilizers on time. They do not get the price that they should actually get. This government is “antifarmer”. The ruling BJP in the state has not fulfilled its commitment made to the farmers of the state.

Q: Congress including the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has been raising the unemployment issue across the country. What is your take with regard to giving employment in Madhya Pradesh by the ruling dispensation?

A: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to give two crore jobs per year and in Madhya Pradesh, two lakh jobs per year. Where are the jobs? Youth are still waiting for that. The unemployment rate is increasing. What is the benefit of Investors Summit if you fail to attract investors to the state and the problem of unemployment?

Q: The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha has always been claiming that atrocities against Tribals and Dalits have increased under the ruling BJP.

A: Yes, atrocities against Tribals, Dalits and weaker sections of the society have increased under the ruling BJP. So, Rahul Gandhi is talking about “social justice”.

Q: Congress has been criticising the Election Commission of India (ECI). It has also posed a volley of questions to the poll panel over the outcome of the Maharashtra Assembly polls? What is your take on that ?

A: Several issues including voters’ list and EVMs were raised with the ECI. Clearly, the ECI is not functioning in an unbiased manner. The ECI has become a puppet of the Central government. To save this democracy, not only Congress, everybody has to come forward. Elections should be held through “ballots”.

Q: After the Lok Sabha elections, if we look at the different elections held in several states excluding Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir, the parties or the INDIA block failed to form the government ? What would you like to say ?

A: Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are totally different. I feel regional parties should also change their strategy for the greater interest of the alliance, to save democracy.