Madhya Pradesh farmers criticise Shivraj Singh Chouhan govt for non-redressal of their issues
Nearly 5,000 farmers from across the state participated in the rally organised to taking their demands from ‘gram sabhas to Vidhan Sabha’, with one of the major demands being a special Assembly session to address farmers' woes.
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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addresses Bharatiya Kisan Sangh state-level convention in Bhopal on Tuesday. (PTI)Highlighting problems being faced by farmers, including shortage of fertilisers, non-payment of compensation for crop damage, erratic electricity supply; Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), an affiliate of Rashtriya Sawayamsewak Sangh (RSS), criticised the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh during a protest at Bhopal’s Motilal Vigyan Mahavidyalaya (MVM) ground on Tuesday.
Nearly 5,000 farmers from across the state participated in the rally organised to taking their demands from ‘gram sabhas to Vidhan Sabha’, with one of the major demands being a special Assembly session to address farmers’ woes.
Later, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also turned up at the rally and addressed the farmers, promising speedy redressal.
BKS state president Kamal Singh Anjana told The Indian Express: “At least two farmers had died in queues, waiting for fertilisers. There is an acute shortage of electricity and transformers are left unrepaired for months. Inflated bills is another issue farmers face.”
“We have demanded a special seven-day Assembly session to address farmers’ issues,” said Anjana. He further said that the state government needs to rework its fertiliser distribution system.
Moresingh Gurjar, a farmer from Rajgarh district who owns 18 bighas of land, said he was struggling to procure fertilisers. “Even today, the CM did not talk about the shortage of fertilisers,” he said. Another farmer, Laxmi Narayan Chandravanshi said: “Farmers are purchasing in black marketeers in far off places. Corruption is rampant in farmer societies.”
BKS national executive member Nana Akhre said, “The farmer of Madhya Pradesh is not happy, he is struggling and it’s unfortunate… this should worry the government. This is the failure of the state administration. We have gotten suggestions from farmers and the government needs to get up and act on it. It needs to show to its people that the government is still alive.”
BKS members also submitted a 25-point memorandum, listing demands like reintroduction of Bhawantar Scheme, release of payment for crops damaged in hail storms and other natural calamities, implementation of interest waiver on farm loans, among others.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also turned up at the rally venue and addressed the farmers. Assuring that his government was for farmers, Chouhan said: “I have come here… because it is our duty to understand the grievances of farmers. Mama [himself] is where farmers are.”
Chouhan then accused the previous 15-month-long Congress government for turning farmers into defaulters by not fulfilling its promise of loan waiver. He also made a slew of promises from the dais and speedy redressal.
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