Madhya Pradesh CM wields pickaxe in Ujjain — to pull down own home for Simhastha preparation

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav of Madhya Pradesh recently demonstrated a level of commitment typically reserved for ribbon-cuttings and foundation stone-laying by personally using a pickaxe to break the walls of his ancestral home in Ujjain. The house, built by his grandfather in 1974, holds significant personal value as it was the site of his childhood residence and the courtyard and rooms where he spent formative years.

This unprecedented act of demolition was undertaken to facilitate the widening of a road ahead of the upcoming Simhastha 2028, a massive religious gathering expected to draw nearly 40 crore visitors. Yadav aimed to send a symbolic message that no VIP property, including his own ancestral home, would be spared from development to accommodate the influx of pilgrims.

In addition to his government's efforts, he acknowledged the voluntary contributions of Ujjain's residents, who moved portions of their own houses to make way for the development. The road project, spanning approximately 730 metres from Khajurwali Masjid to Ganesh Chowk, will be widened to 15 metres, with a budget of around Rs 9.80 crore allocated for the work.

A government official revealed that Yadav's personal decision to demolish a portion of his home underscores the administration's determination to build confidence among citizens. However, this act of demolition takes place amid a sensitive legal battle in Ujjain, where residents and a mosque management have challenged the proposed partial demolition of the Shahi Masjid mosque.

Despite the legal challenges, the Madhya Pradesh High Court recently dismissed the petitions, ruling that the Ujjain Municipal Corporation had followed proper legal procedures in its decision to remove parts of the mosque for the road widening project.