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The Madhya Pradesh government's decision to accord Minister of State (MoS) status to five religious leaders created a controversy today with the opposition parties slamming the move as "unconstitutional" and reflective of religion-based appeasement by the BJP ahead of assembly polls.
However, the decision was defended by the state's Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who said his government wanted to bring every section of the society to work towards development and welfare of the people. He received strong support from his party colleague and Union minister Uma Bharti, who said those being given MoS status were "saints and not criminals."
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