State govt to install statues of 'Chhattisgarh mahtari' in all districts: official

The Chhattisgarh government has decided to install statues of 'Chhattisgarh Mahtari' (mother) in all districts, a senior official said on Saturday.

Earlier in June, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had instructed officials to ensure that the portraits of 'Chhattisgarh Mahtari', a revered mother figure traditionally depicted wearing a green-coloured saree holding a bunch of paddy and sickle in one hand and giving a blessing with other, are displayed prominently at all government programmes.

According to political experts, the chief minister has been working to promote regional pride since the Congress was elected to power in December 2018 and the latest move is in the same direction.

''The statue of 'Chhattisgarh Mahtari' will be installed in headquarters of all the 33 districts, including the four newly created, in next few months,'' Commissioner of state's public relations department Dipanshu Kabra told PTI.

A senior journalist and political analyst said the move (to install statues) is crucial ahead of the next year's assembly elections. ''The state government's welfare schemes have been focused on farmers, villagers and the poor. The CM has also given much attention to promoting traditional festivals, sports, and the art and culture of the state in a bid to promote the regional pride. Installing the statues using the pictures in government programmes also seems to be a bid to promote regional sentiments,'' he added.

Congress had alleged that the people in Chhattisgarh were neglected during the erstwhile 15-year rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).