Bizarre! MP govt restricts Rahul Gandhi from touching on politics, religion during Samvidhan rally

In a bizarre move, the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government has imposed strict conditions on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's upcoming 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally, scheduled for January 27 in Mhow—the birthplace of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

The rally, which aims to highlight the idea of social justice and constitutional values, has been granted conditional approval by the Mhow administration with six stringent restrictions.

Among these, the organisers have been explicitly prohibited from allowing speeches on politics or religion. The application for the rally was submitted by the Indore Congress unit.

Additional restrictions include a ban on the use of DJs, limiting the number of volunteers to just ten, and making the organizers responsible for any mishaps during the event.

The permission letter also emphasizes a ban on 'anti-religious' remarks during the program.

Madhya Pradesh, governed by the BJP under chief minister Mohan Yadav, has faced sharp criticism for being communal in the past.

Political observers say the BJP and its parent organisation, the RSS, are uneasy with Rahul Gandhi’s growing focus on issues concerning marginalised communities, particularly OBCs, SCs, and STs. Through his "Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan" rallies, Gandhi has sought to challenge caste-based inequalities and amplify the voices of historically oppressed groups.

The 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rallies serve as a platform to advocate for equality, social justice, and the preservation of constitutional values.

Rahul Gandhi has used these events to highlight the contributions of these figures in shaping modern India while taking aim at what he alleges are systemic attempts by the BJP to undermine these ideals.

In a recent such rally at Delhi's Seelampur, Gandhi attacked BJP-RSS for destroying the Constitution. He drew attention to the struggles of marginalised communities. His sharp focus on caste and social justice issues is seen as a direct challenge to the BJP’s Hindutva narrative.

The Congress party has accused the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh of using administrative measures to curb Rahul Gandhi’s outreach. "These restrictions are not just an attack on the Congress party but on democracy itself," a Congress leader said.