The final day of the Vidhan Sabha session before Lok Sabha polls was marred by acrimonious exchanges between the treasury benches and the opposition. At the end of the session, on Wednesday, Congress MLAs walked out during a reply by CM Shivraj Chouhan on the crop loss caused by rain and hail last week. The BJP has called for a bandh on March 6 to protest against the Centre ignoring the state’s demand for a Rs. 5,000 crore relief package.
Earlier in the day, during a reply to Congress MLA Dilip Singh Shekhawat on the payment of crop insurance for losses during last year’s Kharif crop, Farmers Welfare minister Gaurishankar Bisen accused the Centre of not paying a single paisa to the state.
This led to a heated exchange between Senior Congress MLA Mukesh Nayak and Bisen amidst BJP MLAs shouting “shame shame.” Unparliamentary expressions used by Mr. Bisen were expunged by the speaker Sitasharan Sharma who was forced to adjourn the house due to commotion. Congress and BJP MLAs charged towards each other in the well of house but were prevented from coming to blows by senior leaders of both parties.
Cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said, “Senior members should control their language but there is no norm for apologies for statements that have already been expunged. Things said in anger are a slip of the tongue.”
In the afternoon, police used canes and water cannons to block a Congress march to the assembly. Around two dozen Congressmen including state president Arun Yadav and several MLAs received mild injuries in the scuffle.
Opposition Leader Satyadev Katare told the 2,000 odd Congress workers, “We have to take up the fight for our farmers to the state government, on the streets, in cities and villages and right up to the Collectorates in the state.” The government has faced flak for delayed payments of compensation for the last year’s soyabean crop that was also destroyed due to heavy rains.
As soon as the session concluded, jeeps with BJP flags went around the city declaring a day-long bandh. “Every one must co-operate for the bandh by not using any vehicles or opening any shops on Thursday while our CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan fasts for our farmers at Dussehra Maidan on Thursday. From sunrise to sunset, Bhopal and Madhya Pradesh will be shut down,” announced over a megaphone near the CM’s residence.
The CM and his cabinet will sit on fast to protest against the Centre tomorrow. The bandh is officially till 2 p.m.
Mr. Chouhan said in the assembly, “So far our party has been working towards Mission 29 to win all the Lok Sabha seats in MP. Now our priority is Mission Kisan to save our farmer brothers.” Several farmers have attempted suicide and many have reportedly died of heart attack after the loss of crops last week.
