The Congress legislators who were holding a sit-in protest in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly premises for the last four days demanding relief to farmers affected by rain and hailstorm, called off their agitation on Friday without getting any assurance from the State Government. The Congress MlAs pledged to go to the villages to mount pressure on the BJP-led MP Government and ensure that farmers whose crops were hit by untimely rain as well as hailstorms recently get compensated.
The Congress MlAs possibly gave up their sit-in protest and called off their indefinite hunger-strike after two of their colleagues, namely, Umang Singhar and Madhu Bhagat fell ill and were hospitalised on Friday. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Digvijay Singh offered lemon juice to leader of the Opposition Satyadev Katare and Congress MlAs to break their indefinite hunger-strike which they had started on Thursday to intensify their protest.
While talking to media persons at the main gate of the Assembly, Singh alleged that the BJP Government is insensitive to the farmers' problems. "Our MlAs will head to the villages to ensure that the farmers get compensation for their damaged crop," he added. He said that rampant corruption has plagued the ongoing survey to access damage to crops. lower ranking revenue department officials called 'patwaris' have been demanding "commission" from farmers to survey their damage crops, he alleged.
He said the BJP-led MP State Government has turned "worthless and autocratic", adding that his Congress party MlAs would ensure that the farmers get relief and compensation. When asked why merely 30 Congress MlAs out of more than 55 Congress MlAs participated in the protest, he replied that they didn't take part as they are observing the Navratri fast.