Ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Madhya Pradesh on April 24th, a one-day tour that includes rallies in Sagar and Harda and a roadshow in Bhopal, political controversies have erupted.
Harda SP Writes to Collector to Close Agricultural Markets
The Superintendent of Police in Harda, Abhinav Choukse, anticipating a large influx of people during the Prime Minister’s visit, has written a letter to the Collector proposing the closure of local markets. In his letter, Choukse mentioned that agricultural produce markets witness the movement of tractors and trollies, which traverse through the main roads of the city. To ensure smooth traffic flow and prevent any untoward incidents during the Prime Minister’s visit, he suggested issuing orders to close the markets.
Vivek Tankha Opposes, Appeals to Election Commission
However, this letter has stirred opposition from the Congress party. Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha raised concerns over whether similar actions would be taken in other cities like Harda, specifically regarding the closure of agricultural produce markets for meetings of senior leaders of the I.N.D.I.A Alliance. He questioned whether the administration would restrict such meetings, akin to the imposition of conditions seen during the Ramleela Grounds event in Delhi. Tankha also released a video stating that it is unfair to close markets and send students to participate in the Prime Minister’s roadshow, alleging a violation of the code of conduct. He appealed to the Election Commission to take cognizance of the matter.
The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi to Madhya Pradesh has thus become embroiled in political debates and raised questions about the application of administrative decisions during election periods.