The BJP protested against high electricity bills and the state government's failure to compensate the farmers. The Congress organised a sit-in against the Central government accusing it of discrimination while offering assistance to the famers distressed by long spells of heavy rains. While the Centre was quick to address the issues concerning BJP-ruled states such as Karnataka, Maharashtra and Bihar, farmers in Madhya Pradesh were being overlooked, the party said.
Senior BJP leaders led the protests at major district and divisional headquarters burning electricity bills and raising slogans against the Kamal Nath government. Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan led the protests at Rewa, leader of the opposition Gopal Bhargava at Bhopal, natonal vice-president Kailash Vijayvargiya at Ujjain and Indore, Vivek Shejwalkar at Gwalior and BJP state president Rakesh Singh led the protests at Jabalpur.
The Congress workers presented memoranda addressed to the President to all collectors. They also addressed press conferences at all district headquarters. The protesters of both parties defied Section 144 that was in force all over the state.
State Congress Committee Vice President of media wing Abhay Dubey, PCC Media Coordinator Narendra Saluja and PCC spokesperson J.P. Dhanopia said that crop worth Rs 16,000 crore has been damaged in 60 lakh hectare due to excessive rainfall in the state, but the Centre is acting with political rancour in denying the state its share in the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF). The central government has not yet provided any money from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) to compensate for the damage caused by the extreme natural calamity in Madhya Pradesh, while states like BJP-ruled Karnataka and Maharashtra get Rs 2411 and 2500 crore respectively.
The Congress also claimed that 19,000 school buildings, 17,000 Anganwadis, 1.20 lakh houses have suffered complete and partial damage.
Also, about 11,000 km of roads have been damaged and 647 people have lost their lives due to extreme rainfall. Chief Minister Kamal Nath had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded a relief package of Rs 6,621 crore for the state which it has not been received so far.
There were histrionics with Kailash Vijayvargiya being arrested at Indore. His supports damaged the police van and pulled him out of it before the police took him away in a bus.
Higher Education Minister Jitu Patwari targeted former CM Chouhan saying he was shedding crocodile tears here while he should have protested against the Centre in Delhi. Rakesh Singh, on the other hand, said the Centre has already extended the assistance the state government is denying to have received.
( With inputs from IANS )