‘Freebies have destroyed spirit of struggle among people’

Senior journalist Pankaj Sharma in the face-to-face program of State Press Club, M.P.

Indore (Team Newsbuddy): Senior journalist and political analyst Pankaj Sharma said that free schemes like ration scheme, Ladli Behna, Ayushman Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, food for school children have destroyed the spirit of struggle among the common people.

Sharma was talking to media persons in the face-to-face program of State Press Club, M.P. He said that there was a time when people used to get agitated even on small issues in the country. Governments were changed on issues like onion prices, inflation, Bofors scam but now people have stopped protesting by coming on the streets. He said that the free schemes of the government are largely responsible for this situation. When people are getting so many things for free, then why should they struggle? He also said that cheap mobile data is also responsible for these conditions. After Japan in the world, cheap mobile data is available in India. The common people express their happiness, sorrow, protest, reaction on social media and consider their duty over.

Shri Sharma said that in the present times, the edge of partisanship has become cruel. The scope of disagreement has been eliminated. Now it is happening that people are either with me or are my enemies. In the year 2014, Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister because Lal Krishna Advani could not gather the necessary resources to overthrow the Manmohan government. Big corporate houses had given conditional support in exchange for making Modi the Prime Minister. These same houses have now started extortion in the states along with the Center.

On the recent statement of RSS supremo Dr. Mohan Bhagwat regarding 75 years of age, senior journalist Sharma said that Dr. Bhagwat has made a big move by using the weapon of age limit in politics. Dr. Bhagwat is also completing 75 years of age in the month of September. He said that even before this, Dr. Bhagwat has tried to corner the government on many issues with the different ideology of his organization. Mob lynching, search for Shivlings in temples, coordination with Muslim society are the main ones in this. He told that in fact in 2014, the RSS chief wanted to implement a system like review of the work of ministers, this happened only once, after which there was bitterness between the two. BJP President J.P. Nadda’s harsh comment on RSS during the 2024 general elections was also a part of this series. RSS also contributed in keeping BJP away from absolute majority.

Sharma said that now the environment in the country is changing. BJP itself and the common people of the society are not liking aggressive Hinduism. The ban on playing DJ in Kavad Yatras is a part of this. He said that the government has converted religious places across the country into tourist places. Expensive charges have been imposed for darshan and worship everywhere. The government and BJP media cell have created such an environment that opposition to BJP is now considered opposition to Hindus.

In response to a question, political analyst Sharma said that despite all the hard work in Congress, Rahul Gandhi is not at the place where he should be and the reason for this is the people around him who do not let him know the truth and circumstances. Rahul Gandhi has proved to be weak in selecting such people. Regarding the future of Congress in Madhya Pradesh, the former advisor to the Chief Minister said that Madhya Pradesh is one of the few states where Congress still has a good future. The old generation of leaders in Madhya Pradesh is retiring. These leaders will no longer be the face in the upcoming elections. The BJP government of Madhya Pradesh is neck deep in corruption. Now there is also a discussion that Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav will be replaced before the assembly elections.

In the beginning, Sharma was welcomed by President Praveen Khariwal, Mohanlal Mantri, Rachna Johri, Govind Lahoti ‘Kumar’, Sanjay Mehta and Meena Rana Shah