By Gargi Parsai
Malhargarh (SC), Nov 21 (UNI) Congress Party’s promise of giving a loan waiver of Rs 2 lakh for the two crore farmers of Madhya Pradesh is finding echo with the farming community here which is struggling with BJP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s “Bhavantar yojna’’ to get the right price for their farm produce.
The Congress election manifesto promise was reiterated here on Wednesday by party’s election committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia in his public meeting at Gujjar Bidiya in Chaplana gaon near Sitamau.
The well-attended meeting came as a shot in the arm for Congress’ candidate Parshuram Sisodia, a new face, who is pitted in a tough battle with two-time BJP MLA and former State Home Minister, Jagdish Devda. He used to earlier contest from Suvasra.
Countering the loan waiver promise of the Congress, Mr Devda told UNI, “Congress knows it is not coming to power and can promise anything to the people.’’
Local Congress leaders not only displayed photographs of the six farmers who lost their life in the June 2016 agitation but also had seated on the dais the widows, parents or children of the victims. They roused feelings by saying that if the party is voted to power it will bring to book the police personnel who opened fire on farmers and will withdraw all agitation cases against farmers.
BJP leaders here say that the agitation was under control as the CM had given orders not to open fire or arrest farmers, but allege that it took a violent turn when Congress and outside elements infiltrated the ranks.
Introducing to the crowds Mr Sisodia, Mr Scindia charged Mr Chouhan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with making promises that were not fulfilled and said it was time for a “change’’.
The feeling was apparent in some of the interior villages where people had no particular complaint against the sitting MLA Devda but were looking for “parivartan”. Sharif Ahmed, a former Nagar Palika chairman, told UNI that the MLA was “a good man but people want parivartan”.
Speaking to UNI, Mr Devda charged the Congress with being responsible for the farmers’ agitation and said a whatsapp campaign was started about mandi prices etc. to “instigate” farmers and youth because they knew that “Mission 18 (state elections) and Mission19 (Lok Sabha elections) were round the corner.
“They were not bothered about who would be hurt but were looking for an issue with they could go to the people for votes,’’ he said.
He said in his jan sampark yatras he has found that people had now become aware to what was done. ‘’Anti-social elements were brought in and people were told to take away whatever they looted in the garb of agitation.’’
Mr Devda reminds people of the 24 talabs constructed in constituency, two mahavidlaya, 30-bed hospital , 113 roads, an over bridge at railway crossing and so on.
For “Bhavantar Yojna”, he said it was a good scheme. “Chief Minister has given bonus, compensation and has always stood with farmers. In Bhavantar, it is a question of implementation which can be looked into.’’
UNI GP ADG 1832