Chhattisgarh is contributing more, but not getting as much in return: Baghel

Responding to a question on developmental issues, which were raised by BJP state president and MP Arun Sao, Baghel said, “The Centre is yet to pay coal royalty dues worth over Rs 4,000 crore. GST dues and central excise dues are pending. He (Sao) is a parliamentarian. He did not raise a question when several (passenger) trains were shut in the state.”

“The coal and steel from Chhattisgarh are transported across India and massive structures are made using this steel and electricity is provided to everyone using this coal. Is Chhattisgarh’s contribution to the country less? It is a lot more. As compared to what we are giving, we get less in return,” the Chief Minister said.

Baghel also said the number of farmers selling their produce to the government increased from 15 lakh to 22 lakh in the past four years. He said the BJP never bought more than 50 to 60 lakh metric ton of rice from farmers but the Congress government in the first year bought 84 lakh metric ton and in the past three years over 90 lakh metric ton of produce. Taking a dig at the BJP, he said, “They promised to double income but doubled price rise. But we doubled their income.”

When asked about the corruption issues raised by BJP, he said, “They have no issues left. They were sleeping for four years. After Sao came they are running around to find issues. They criticised us for using the National Security Act [to maintain communal harmony] but applied it nine times in their tenure. What was that about?”

When asked about Law Minister Kiran Rijiju’s letter to the Chief Justice of India on the Collegium, Baghel said, “This is what Rahul Gandhi ji was saying that the government is interfering with judicial matters and weakening all the government institutions. Governor [Anusuiya Uikey] is not signing [76% reservation Bills] because she thinks it will not stand in court. How does she know? They want to control the judiciary and further control non-BJP states using the Governors.”

Speaking on security threats to Rahul Gandhi during the Congress Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir, Baghel said, “Two years have passed after removal of Article 370 so there should have been peace and security. This is another attempt to stop the yatra. The BJP fears the yatra. First they tried to use Covid as an excuse.”