BJP, Congress spar over ‘evicted’ Arjun Singh’s wife

BHOPAL: A bitter war of words broke out between the BJP and the Congress, a day after 83-year-old Saroj Kumari, wife of late Congress leader Arjun Singh, filed a complaint against sons Abhimanyu Singh and Ajay Singh — who is the Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly — of harassment and forcing her out of the house.

Anup Dutta

Bhopal, June 20

A bitter war of words broke out between the BJP and the Congress, a day after 83-year-old Saroj Kumari, wife of late Congress leader Arjun Singh, filed a complaint against sons Abhimanyu Singh and Ajay Singh — who is the Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly — of harassment and forcing her out of the house.

Addressing a press conference, Ajay Singh alleged that his mother had become a “puppet in the hands of unscrupulous elements” in the family. “It is a sad day for any family when personal matters are dragged into open... Worse, when the enemy lurks within and the motivation for public posturing is purely political,” the Congress leader said.

The Churhat legislator said it smacked of BJP conspiracy as he had moved a no-confidence motion against the government. He urged his mother to “free herself from the clutches” of those who had “widened the rift” among family members.

“Free yourself from the clutches of people who tutor and terrorise you in the name of love and concern. Let us sit together and resolve matters without the indignity of a public trial,” he said.

Earlier in the day, BJP leader and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said: “How can Singh blame the government for turning his mother against him? This is the height of cheap behaviour. “There is no bigger asset than mother. She (Saroj Kumari) is the wife of late Arjun Singh, a national leader, and is 83 years old. Will she do so at the behest of any government? This allegation is completely cheap.”

Instead of bringing mother back and caring for her, the Congress leader is blaming the government, he added.

Saroj Kumari had on Tuesday filed a complaint in a magistrate’s court against her sons. She was in the court along with daughter Veena Singh. Sources say Veena has been leaning towards the BJP for some time. Ahead of the 2009 General Election, Veena was in the race for Congress ticket from both Satna and Sidhi constituencies, but remained unsuccessful. She sprang a surprise by filing her nomination papers as an Independent candidate from Sidhi. In 2013, she once again joined Congress, but was unable to get a key post.

The house from which Saroj claimed she was forced out figures in an affidavit filed by Ajay Singh during the 2014 General Election on Congress ticket.