BHOPAL: AICC general secretary in-charge of state affairs Deepak Babaria on Wednesday defended Jyotiraditya Scindia and said that the senior leader said nothing that should be perceived as going against the Kamal Nath government. "I have seen the entire video clip of what he said while addressing a gathering of contractual teachers. There is nothing objectionable that was said by him," Deepak Babaria said at the state PCC office on Wednesday.

Addressing a gathering of protesting contractual teachers in Niwari district last week, Scindia had said that if Congress’ manifesto promises were not fulfilled then he would "hit the streets" with the agitators. The Congress Vachan Patra assembly manifesto promised regularization of contractual teachers in the state.

"There was nothing wrong in what Jyotiraditya Scindia said in that meeting. He said that Congress does not believe in jumlabaazi," Babaria said. "Manifesto promises made by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah can be jumlabaazi when they promise to give Rs 15 lakh in every bank account. But the Congress means what we promise. We are committed to the manifesto promises and from the first day initiated the process to fulfil the farm loan waiver assurance. First phase has been implemented, the second phase is ongoing and in five years all farm loans will be waived," he said.

Deepak Babaria further claimed that Scindia in his speech even explained that there are many issues like regularization of contractual teachers’ issues that need to be resolved. But the Union government has drastically cut funds for Madhya Pradesh because there is a Congress government here.

"In a democracy, pressures like these are routine. Contractual teachers’ is a problem and requires a reasonable solution. And in the path of finding the solution, there may be hindrances that come. And stand with the contractual teachers in that journey," Babaria justified. "Would have said the same thing, had I been in Scindia’s place because we have made a commitment in our manifesto," he added.

Scindia’s alleged differences with chief minister Kamal Nath hit headlines after he left the state Congress coordination committee meeting midway last Saturday. The meeting held at CM Nath’s New Delhi residence started at 11 am and continued till 1:30 pm. But Jyotiraditya Scindia left the meeting around 11:45 am and it was claimed that he had boycotted the meeting.

Deepak Babaria blamed the entire episode on the media. "The entire issue is a matter of perception. That day when Scindia left the meeting, he told me that he had an appointment at 12 noon. He said he would come for the meeting but would have to leave at 11:45 am. Sections of the media wanted to show Congress in a bad light. So there came the walk-out story", he said.

