BHOPAL — A convoy of nearly 200 vehicles accompanying newly-appointed Madhya Pradesh Textbook Corporation Chairman, Saubhagya Singh Thakur, from Ujjain to Bhopal on Monday triggered traffic congestion and criticism from the public and the Opposition Congress, with questions raised over fuel use and public inconvenience at a time when the Prime Minister and state government are urging austerity.
Saubhagya Singh Thakur, who also serves as the provincial president of Vidya Bharati’s Malwa region, travelled from Ujjain to the state capital leading the massive convoy to take charge of the office after being appointed as Chairman of the textbook corporation recently.
Upon arrival, he visited the Madhya Pradesh BJP office and met the state BJP president Hemant Khandelwal and other organisational leaders. He then paid floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay and Syama Prasad Mookerjee at statues located on the office premises.
The convoy caused traffic jams at several points along the Ujjain-Bhopal highway. Within Bhopal, long snarls were reported near the BJP state office, Board Office Square, DB Mall and Arera Hills during peak hours.
Commuters, office-goers and daily travellers were affected, with buses, ambulances and private vehicles stuck for extended periods. Amid soaring temperatures, children and elderly passengers faced difficulties due to the disruption, eyewitnesses said.
The incident gained traction on social media because it came just two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens to reduce fuel consumption and avoid unnecessary travel in national interest, citing the prevailing global fuel crisis.
Taking a swipe at the ruling party, the Madhya Pradesh Congress wrote on X with a video attached to the post showing the extravagance by the BJP leader.
“On one hand, PM Modi urges people to reduce the use of petrol and diesel. On the other, leaders from his own party openly disregard that appeal. This shows that Modi expects all sacrifice only from the public, while those in power continue to enjoy privileges without concern,” Madhya Pradesh Congress wrote on X with a video attached.
Earlier, on Monday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had also reinforced the appeal, asking people in Madhya Pradesh to contribute to fuel conservation by using public transport or electric vehicles. He had assured that the state government would lead by example in adhering to the measures.
“The Prime Minister has urged citizens to adopt various conservation measures in national interest. We should all comply with his appeal,” Chief Minister Yadav had said on Monday.
Against this backdrop, social media users and political critics questioned the necessity of a 200-vehicle procession for a political appointment.
Several users said such displays weaken the moral force of public appeals for restraint and conservation. Others pointed out that the convoy travelled from Ujjain, the Chief Minister’s home district, to Bhopal at a time when leaders are expected to set examples.
The Madhya Pradesh Textbook Corporation, established in 1968, is a state-run society responsible for publishing and distributing textbooks for students from Class 1 to 12. It implements the free textbook distribution scheme in government schools and manages printing and supply of around 40,000 tonnes of paper annually through a central warehouse in Bhopal.
The BJP has not issued any statement so far responding to the criticism over the convoy and the traffic disruptions caused during the journey. — IANS
