Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav salutes during the Republic Day celebration in Indore on January 26, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, on the occasion of 76th Republic Day, called for joint efforts from the public and the government to enforce the recently announced ban on sale of liquor in 17 religious cities, towns and villages of the State.
Addressing a Republic Day event at Indore’s Nehru Stadium on Sunday (January 26, 2025), Mr. Yadav said the decision was taken based on suggestions from various seers and social outfits and that the State government would run awareness programmes to prevent the increase of tendency of intoxication among youth.
Earlier on January 24, Mr. Yadav had announced a Cabinet decision to shut all liquor shops in 17 places — including Ujjain and Omkareshwar — of religious significance. He had also shared the government’s intentions to gradually implement liquor ban across the State.
Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel unfurled the national flag at the State celebrations in capital Bhopal. Mr. Patel inspected the parade and accepted the ceremonial salute of 20 contingents from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and various units of the State police and security forces.
Mr. Yadav also highlighted the two inter-State river linking projects — Ken-Betwa with Uttar Pradesh and Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal with Rajasthan, launched in December 2024. The Chief Minister claimed that the projects would meet water needs of several districts.
Mr. Yadav, who has been involved with the promotion of various sports in the State before he helmed the State government, said sports stadiums would be built in all 55 districts for young athletes and players.
Visits Mhow
Later in the day, the Chief Minister visited Mhow, the birthplace of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, and took a swipe at the Congress’s scheduled ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ rally in the town on January 27, saying “some people are coming here for an event”.
Speaking to reporters in Mhow, Mr. Yadav said, “Some people look at Babasaheb’s holy birthplace as a mere tourist spot. They are coming here for events, not because of their commitment. If they want to pay true respect to Babasaheb, people should come here on important dates related to him.”
Earlier, State Congress president Jitu Patwari targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party saying that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “new India, the Constitution is insulted every day”.
“The purpose of this rally is to express commitment and gratitude towards the Constitution. Every Congress worker is ready to fight till the last breath to save the Constitution,” Mr. Patwari said, adding that the State Congress workers would also take a pledge to oust the BJP from power in the State in the next Assembly elections.
The rally, part of the Opposition party’s ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’, is expected to see participation from top Congress leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, party national president Mallikarjun Kharge, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra among others.
However, in the run-up to the event, the two parties have been trading barbs at each other and accusing the other of insulting the Constitution and its main architect, aiming to gain an upper hand in the debate.
Meanwhile, at the Republic Day function in Indore, Mr. Yadav shared the target of providing 2.5 lakh government jobs to the youth.
The Chief Minister said the State government had received investment proposals worth ₹4.17 lakh crore through its various investor summits and that it would create over four lakh employment opportunities.
The preparations for the Global Investor Summit (GIS), scheduled for February 24 and 25 in Bhopal, had begun, he said, adding that the event would be inaugurated by Mr. Modi.
Mr. Yadav also took to social media platform X to praise the State’s Cheetah Project theme tableau at the Republic Day parade at New Delhi’s Kartavya Path and said, “the return of cheetahs will not only boost our eco-tourism but also showcase our commitment to environmental conservation and biodiversity”.
The tableau depicted Kuno National Park and the cheetahs settled there, which earned Madhya Pradesh the title of ‘Cheetah State’.
Published – January 26, 2025 08:32 pm IST
