Perturbed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not providing time to him, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has threatened to launch a Statewide strike on March 6. In the afternoon, Chouhan tweeted — “Inspite of my repeated requests the Centre is not responding. PM is unable to find time to hear me. MP shall observe a strike on March 6 in protest.”
Official sources said the Chief Minister is in contact with the Prime Minister office continuously seeking appointment, but Chouhan could not get the time, as the Prime Minister is busy.
later, in the evening, addressing the people at Rajgarh, Chouhan said a Statewide bandh would be observed on March 6, if the Centre does not provide a relief package of at least Rs 5,000 crore for farmers whose crops have been affected by natural calamity. “Despite my repeated requests, the Centre is not responding. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is unable to find time to hear me.
In spite of such a massive crisis, support price of gram is not being provided," he said while visiting areas affected by excessive precipitation and hail in Rajgarh and Vidisha districts.
Chouhan said he is happy to learn that the Madhya Pradesh Indian Administrative Service Officers' Association decided to donate a day's salary of each member to the peasants' relief fund.
Notably, the Chief Minister has been raising this issue with full might, seeking special relief package for the farmers of Madhya Pradesh. He had claimed that no matter, if the Centre does not pay any heed to his demands, his government would compensate the farmers. However, as the time passed, Chouhan intensified his actions seeking package from Centre.
Two days ago, Chouhan had announced to give his one month salary to the relief fund established by the State government. With this, his staff and BJP parliamentarians and legislators have also declared to donate their one-month salary for the cause.