MP: Gau Sewaks, guest profs turn against BJP in election year

After the Mandsaur farmers' agitation where five farmers had died and pushed the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government on the back-foot last year, now 23,000 Gau Sewaks and guest professors of the state are ready to clash with the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in an election year.

Ideologically, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and Shivraj Singh Chouhan claim themselves to be cow protectors and have often pitched for stringent cow protection laws. Further, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has recently proposed to amend the Madhya Pradesh Gauvansh Vadh Pratishedh Adhiniyam, 2004 (anti-cow slaughter law), to increase the quantum of punishment for slaughter and abandoning cows in the state from three years to seven years with a minimum fine of ₹5,000. But all these efforts seem to be going in vain as the Madhya Pradesh Gau Sewak Sangh has decided to take the government head on with their demands.

Disappointed with the BJP government's policies, thousands of Gau Sewaks protested in the state capital on Monday. Gau Sewaks have been demanding allotment of fresh land for cow shelters, subsidised food for the bovines, recruitment of Gau Sewaks at the Panchayat level, fixing of remuneration and 50% reservation of the Gau Sewaks in Animal Husbandry Department vacancies.

Thousands of Gau Sewaks gathered at the historic Neelam Park in Bhopal and raised slogans against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government. Initially, the police sealed the main gate of the park to stop them from picketing the CM’s house and later tried to shift them to a different location. However, it irked the Gau Sewaks and the situation tuned ugly. The entire park turned into a battlefield and they forced their way out of the park.

Meanwhile, president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, Arun Yadav, accompanied by Congress leader Jitu Patwari, added fuel to the fire by reaching Neelam Park. They joined the chorus of the Gau Sewaks and backed their demands. They also assured them of raising their issue in the ongoing budget session of the Assembly.

After the Congress leaders left the agitators, they marched towards the CM house to picket it. However, the city police stopped and later detained them.

While talking to National Herald, the spokesperson of the Madhya Pradesh Gau Sewa Sangh, Dinesh Dhakad said, "The government is trying to crush Gau Sewaks. However, it has only made us strong. Moreover, Congress leaders have assured us that they will raise our demands in the Assembly."

The president of the Sangh, Rajesh Dhoulpure, said that the government was trying to suppress the voices of Gau Sewaks but they were here to take their right by any means. "Until our demands are not met, all the Gau Sewaks will stay in Bhopal and fight for their rights. Soon, we will call all our family members too and hold a protest outside the CM’s house."

Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP has been in power for the last 15 years, goes to polls later this year.

BJP's cow love a “gimmick”

The BJP government, which brands itself as cow protector, is doing nothing to protect the cows and Gau Sewaks but just indulging in advertising, feel the Gau Sewaks. “Their cow love is a gimmick. This not the first time we are demanding these. We have been promised the same by the government several times but received nothing. On March 26, 2017, state Animal Husbandry Minister Antar Singh Arya and Member of Parliament (Bhopal constituency) Alok Sanjar had promised to deliver our demands during a state-level meeting of Gau Sewaks in Bhopal but they have dodged us and nothing has happened till date."

The government’s apathy irked the Gau Sewaks and led them into launching a state-wide protest. The Gau Sewaks feel that from the last 15 years, they are not only closely working with the Animal Husbandry department to save or protect the cows but also playing a major role in creating awareness about government programmes and awards such as Gau Sewak Gokul Mahotsav, Krishi Mahotsav, Gopal Award. “But we are getting nothing in return and enough is enough. Now, we will take our rights forcefully. As many as 23,000 Gau Sewaks have protested here,” Dholpure added.

Moreover, the vice-president of Bhopal Zila Gaupalan Samardhan Samiti, Govind Vyas, has claimed that they have been demanding the sanction of land for erecting bovine shelters and review of the outdated financial support parameters by the state and Central governments so that the animals can be saved. “However, our entreaties have fallen on deaf ears,” he asserted.

Guest professors vent anger

The guest professors have a different story. To show their disappointment with the BJP government, they have promised not to vote for the BJP in the upcoming assembly polls and have also pledged to influence others. They have been demanding for appointment as contractual professors with fixed monthly wages.

Secretary of the guest professors' union, Sudeep Shrivastav shared their ordeal with National Herald. "Most of the guest professors are PhD holders and jobless. We have been working for the last couple of years in different colleges and universities of the state as guest lecturers. We had left no stone unturned to voice our concerns but all our efforts have gone in vain. Thus, we have decided to root out this government by not voting for them in the upcoming elections," he said.

He added, "Corruption in the education sector is rampant in the state as we have already seen with the infamous Vyapam scam." He went on, “We had held a two-day protest in Bhopal and met with the department concerned to thrash out a solution, but the government paid no attention to us.”

When contacted, spokesperson of the Madhya Pradesh government, Narottam Mishra, chose not to reply.