RAIPUR: The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) has intensified its protest against the state govt, alleging the deliberate omission of Chhattisgarh’s first Dalit MP, Mini Mata’s name, from the invitation card for the new Assembly building’s inauguration.
JCC(J) state President Amit Jogi, son of former chief minister late Ajit Jogi, burned the inauguration invitation card in protest, accusing the govt of insulting Chhattisgarhi pride, women’s empowerment, and Dalit representation by erasing Mini Mata’s legacy. He appealed to all MLAs and former MLAs to boycott the Prime Minister’s event if the name is not reinstated.
Addressing a press conference at his residence in Raipur, Jogi said with emotion that his father, late Ajit Jogi, honoured Mini Mata — the state’s first Dalit parliamentarian — by naming the old Assembly building after her.
“Today, as the state prepares to inaugurate a new Assembly building on its 25th foundation day, we received an invitation from Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh. The shocking and infuriating aspect is that the name ‘Mini Mata’ is not mentioned anywhere on this invitation card,” Jogi said.
He termed the omission a “planned conspiracy or a grave error,” calling it a direct insult to the people of Chhattisgarh, its history, and its constitutional values. “The question arises whether the Prime Minister intends to name this building after someone else? I want to make it clear that this building belongs to Chhattisgarh, and it must be named after the daughter of Chhattisgarh,” he asserted.
Jogi demanded that the Assembly Speaker immediately issue a revised invitation explicitly mentioning “Mini Mata Assembly Building, Naya Raipur.”
Announcing a firm stance, he said, “If this conspiracy to remove Mini Mata’s name continues, I appeal to all MLAs and former MLAs of Chhattisgarh to boycott the Prime Minister’s programme on Saturday.” He described this as his “final message” and the basis of a continued struggle.
Jogi also urged Leader of Opposition Charandas Mahant to raise his voice for Mini Mata, “the daughter of Chhattisgarh.” He further said, “I will attend the Prime Minister’s Vidhan Sabha inauguration programme but will sit outside on dharna wearing black clothes as a mark of protest if the Vidhan Sabha is not named after Mini Mata. I am also writing to the Prime Minister to raise this issue.”
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