Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan did a Raj Thackeray when he said jobs in the state would not be allowed to be taken away by Biharis but backtracked after leaders from Bihar roundly condemned the controversial remark.
"Locals should be given preference in employment in the industries being set up in the state.. It should not happen that people should come from outside...Bihar and get the jobs here," Chouhan said fuelling a political row over the remark seen as unusual for his style of functioning.
Chouhan's remark while addressing a function at Satna, about 500 km from here, yesterday came in for attack from Congress, RJD and LJP with former chief minister Lalu Yadav and ally Ram Vilas Paswan leading the charge against the BJP leader.
Sensing the unease in Bihar, Chouhan clarified he was not against people from other states coming to Madhya Pradesh. "I heartily welcome people coming (to MP) from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, South India, Punjab or from any other state," he said in Indore.
Chouhan said what he meant was that locals are sometimes not skilled workers and therefore must be given training by employers so that the people of the land should get a livelihood. "I made the comments in this context," he said. Lalu termed the remarks as unconstitutional and called him "unstable". He demanded that Chouhan tender an apology.
LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan said, "The statement made by Chouhan is unfortunate... a person holding a top constitutional post should not not react in this manner... he should resign immediately." MNS chief Raj Thackeray had spearheaded a campaign against north Indians in Maharashtra while pitching for 'sons of the soil' policy inviting criticism.
Nov 06, 2009 / Courtesy: Indian express
Public Reply / Comments / Opinion -
By: krishnan
Bihar and Nitish should wake up and create opportunities within Bihar to employ all Biharis. Also, each state in our country should do the same and pull out its employees working in other states to its own state. Why? The local people are helping other states and dictating terms. This will unite India, and every one will be true Indan. Indian constitution should be changed to allow this mechanism. Each state will have to be for its own Manoos and these Manoos can come and stay only in Delhi, as there are are no local manoos in Delhi. As a fedaral Government of India, India can have 25 or 26? Kashmir problems and we will be be pleased to pass a law saying that this law will not apply to all the 26 states. Let us think we are Indians and divide our country. I believe that is what Nehru and our Constitution makers visioned.
By: sagar
UP and Bihar ... problem for all indian developed states. Yesterday raj , today sivaraj .. tomorrow some one . The problem will remain open so stop shouting on others and pls pls pls give some job to your own people in your state. Its really heartbreaking to see a up/bihari working 2000 km from his home and people for 1500 rs a month.
By: Anoy
These Mayawatis, Lallus, etc need to shut up instead they need to look after their own people to bring jobs, education in their states. what these guys are doing instead looting crores of rupees and building statutes of their ugly faces with Tax payers money... Shivraj Chouhan is the CM of MP. Obvioulsy his first choice is to provide jobs for the people of his state. Media need to just stop comparing him to that Raj Thackeray.
By: upendra
The MP CM Shivraj Singh chouhan's comments on migrant workers working in MP indicates that BJP Iis no longer a national party. It is neither mandir wala nor people wala. It is a party without command and commitment. Its leaders are rootless and tooth less. People of this country will through them like a dead fly from milk. They are now cause of many ill in the country and they failed a opposition and these days busy in destroying the national ethos laid by sri Bajpayee. BJP as a political party is a national shame. its leaders atre loosing their mental balance. Bjp should through out such leaders without any loss of time. Bjp should be dissolved and the shuold go back to RSS and work as prachark. they wiil look better in khaki niker. They do not deserve to use name of Shyama Prasad Mukerjee and Atal Behari. Shivraj has gone against the constitution and his utterances is potential enough to create hatered and undermines national unity and there by anti national. Jai Hind.
By: Anil Kohli
This statement by the CM of MP is not a case of rable rousing like Raj Thackrey. We would have to look deeper into this malaise. The fact of the matter is very clear that Congress at Centre and in these states has not developed Bihar and UP, there by the people from these 2 states have been moving out to seek a better life. Congress instead of pointing fingers at Shivraj Singh. should first introspect and accept the fact that they have failed to provide an effective governments not just to these two state but to the country as a whole. It is only a matter of time before other also speak the same language. Life is coming a full circle, congress is going to be confronted for it previous acts of ommission and commission.
By: Shobhit
I am from MP and I work in Bangalore. I must say that this must be the most foolish thing to come out from MP for a long time. Mr. Chauhan, where are the jobs in MP which "others" can steal? All my life, I have never seen anybody doing graduation and getting a decent job in MP. Whom are you fooling?
By: Gopal
It is really shocking that the MP CM is following Raj for wrong reasons. Biharis are known to be hardworking. I have seen many of them working in foundries for 10 to 12 hours, which the locals are not prepared to. It should be said at the same time that Laloos should provide adequate employment to their people locally since Bihar is a very big state with rich minerals. Will Laloo explain why Bihar is still very backward even after 62 years of independence. What has he done to alleviate the backwardness of his state ? They should create an atmosphere which attarcts talents from other states. At the end of the day, we need statesmen who are able to look beyond trivialities.
By: Manoj Jha
I fully support CM OF MP. Ministers from UP and Bihar are doing nothing in thier states and even then peoples of these states elects them over and again. Laloo, Mayawati, Paswans, Mulayams..... and so on are responsible for bad condition of UP
By: Imran
Shame on these kind of politicians who are trying to make peaces of our Motherland when they say he is Bihari or Marathi or Gujrati bacause at the end of the day we all are Indian and any Indian should get job any where in India. Just imagine there is millions of Indians are working out of India and if they want to come back to their homeland then they will be treated like aliens!
By: Anish
Forget it imran, They have gone out of india for their own selfish needs. Are they paying taxes. if they had any love for India they would have stayed back in india & given their valuable services. By the way same statement was giving by Secular Delhi CM Sheila Dixit few years back. Would you call congress also Divisive.
By: Ravi
Not surprising at all. BJP, like its ally Shiv Sena, has always been a divisive force. Inclusive politis is alien to them. So, this latest stupidity is not suprising at all.
By: manoj
thanks Shiv-Raj. People are not against any Indians, but bhiharis bring wrong culture from Lallu, Maya and all goons to ret of country. Its time to stop India from happening 'Bhihari culture'
By: Alex
This is real India. They cant even tolerate their own fellow countrymen. And look westward. Whether that be tiny Europe or giant USA, people from around the world are welcomed. No bias against any outsider no matter what religion, coulour of skin or race one belongs to. This is why they are great nations and we people are just happy about Sachin making 17000 runs. I have my helmet put on to save myself from ensuing stones of words just about to come.
Small People
By: Anish
Alex you r right. But dont you think the problem lies with the governance of these 2 states right from 1947. Every person has the right to migrate to various states in india. But If the infrastructure itself is collapsing bcos of the influx of people, the state government has to bear the ire of aam aadmi of the state, Like what is happening in mumbai. I will squarely blame the state govt of Bihar & Up for all these mess. This laloos & bhaloos have always been in the forefront of twisting the statements. The CM of MP is very right in his statement with respect to migrants. Every state has to look at the welfare of its own people first than towards the people of other state. We have seen the plight of mumbai by the influx of these irresponsible migrants specially from UP & Bihar. UP & biharis say they have a part to play in the development of Mumbai, If so then why they are not using the same tech in developing their own state of UP & Bihar. The MP chief Minister is very much right in his statement. More CMs will soon follow suit . Congress is critisizing the CM But the same Congress CM of Delhi had made a similar statement with respect to Bihari & UP migrants few years back. It is not the fault of people but its the fault of system as well as governance in the state of bihar and UP. The people of these states have to put pressure on its own government before its too late. Laloo has made a right statement in saying that constitution gives right to every citizen to travel & work in any part of India, but is it right that the state govt have to ignore the rights of its own people for accomodating outsiders
By: Jatin
Be assured that Maharashtra or MP or Assam are not the first and surely will not be the last local uprising against uncontrolled migration for Bihar-UP. There is sign that Punjab may be the next. Uncontrolled migration in many states like Assam, Tripura, and West Bengal has changed the demography, economy, living standard for local people. Working condition, wage structure and law and order has deteriorated due to such uncontrolled migration of unskilled and semi-skilled people. India needs to enact laws to protect local culture and implement a true federal democracy where states have more power. The best way forward for a culturally diverse country like India is to acknowledge its diversity and protect that. I hate to speak Hindi or English in many hotels, restaurants, airport in my own state of Bengal. Business establishments must employ people who can speak local language.If I am not happy with Hindi onslaught, then I will support any political party who fights for that.
By: Jay
I know many people will jump to blame Raj and now MP CM. But they need to think why anger against Bihar and UP is cropping up frequently in many states in India. INDIA SHOULD FORMULATE A COHERENT NATIONAL POLICY TO PROTECT LOCAL ECONOMY AND CULTURE, AND GIVE MORE POWER TO STATE GOVERNMENTS TO HAVE A STRONGER SAY IN CONTROLLING DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE. Inter-state migration also needs to be regulated. Industries/Businesses importing people for unskilled or semi-skilled jobs need to follow some pre-determined process to prove that there is no suitable local person to do the job. States getting more outside-state migrant people are not getting any financial or administrative benefit while locals are paying good price in terms of culture, job, and commodity price erosion.
