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Journalism of Courage
Undeterred by the controversy over the distribution of free schoolbags to tribal children, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi said today that he would go ahead with the scheme after the polls are over. It’s just a question of a few days, he said.
Predicting the Congress’ return to power with a comfortable majority, the Chief Minister said he would distribute ‘‘quality’’ bags to the leftover schools. In all, the government plans to distribute 30 lakh bags, he said.
Holding the BJP responsible for depriving poor schoolkids of the scheme, he said: ‘‘We have put the distribution on hold temporarily because the Election Commission intervened.’’ Jogi refused to join issues with CEC J.M. Lyngdoh on the latter’s doubts about free and fair elections in the state. ‘‘The Congress is known for its tradition of not undermining the prestige of higher institutions, whether judiciary or the EC.’’
On the BJP making him a direct target, Jogi recalled that whenever the Opposition targets one person, he emerges stronger. The examples, he said, are late Indira Gandhi, Laloo Yadav, Jayalalithaa and Narendra Modi.
