BJP MP’s remarks on pregnant woman’s demand for motorable road to village in M.P. stir row

Madhya Pradesh BJP MP Rajesh Mishra has courted controversy after accusing a pregnant lady from his constituency, who demanded a motorable street to her village in Sidhi district, of in search of social media fame, whereas additionally providing to make preparations for her supply.

Earlier this week, Leela Sahu, a Bagheli content material creator from Khaddi Khurd village, had shared a video on social media that includes herself and 7 different pregnant ladies, highlighting their demand for a street connecting their village to a city 10 km away, which they stated has the closest medical facility.

Ms. Sahu, who has over 11 lakh subscribers on YouTube and 4 lakh followers on Fb, has since shared a number of movies exhibiting the village’s muddy street circumstances, automobiles caught within the mud, and locals locals demanding enhancements. In one in every of her movies, Ms. Sahu, who claimed she was 9 months pregnant, addressed the MP, asking him who could be held accountable if any of the pregnant ladies encountered difficulties because of the village’s poor street circumstances.

Ms. Sahu claimed that after she raised the difficulty by way of her movies final 12 months, in search of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention, Mr. Mishra assured her that the street could be constructed inside a 12 months. Nevertheless, she alleged that regardless of this promise, no progress has been made on the mission. “Should you didn’t have the braveness to construct the street, then why did you make the promise? We may have approached larger leaders like Mr. Modi and [Union Road Transport Minister] Nitin Gadkari,” she stated in a video.

Mr. Mishra, nonetheless, stated utilizing being pregnant as a method to boost calls for wasn’t proper. “There should have been many ladies in that village who’ve undergone deliveries and so many kids have been born however has any incident occurred until now? There may be [Chief Minister] Mohan Yadav’s authorities in M.P. If wanted we will even get a affected person airlifted by helicopter or airplane,” he instructed reporters on Friday.

“We now have ambulances and different amenities. We now have ASHA staff. We’ll make preparations for the supply. Come and get admitted to a hospital if there’s a downside. Every supply has an anticipated date. We’ll get them picked up per week earlier than that. Our authorities provides all amenities, together with meals and water. Because of this I really feel it’s not proper to place this [pregnancy] in entrance to speak about such issues. If somebody desires to get well-known on social media, then you are able to do something for it. This factor will occur in each village then,” he stated.

On Wednesday, Madhya Pradesh’s Public Works Division Minister Rakesh Singh had acknowledged that whereas many individuals make calls for by way of social media, it’s not possible for the division to begin building work instantly.

“If somebody places a put up on social media, do you assume that the PWD has sufficient price range that we attain there with a dumper to make the street? This isn’t doable,” Mr. Singh had stated.

‘Shameful feedback’

State Congress president Jitu Patwari termed Mr. Mishra’s remarks “shameful and stuffed with vanity”. “The girl is being requested her supply date in order that she may be taken to hospital from her home, however the street was not constructed,” he stated in a video assertion.