Congress demands President's Rule in Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal: Questioning the ability of Shivraj Singh Chouhan government to rule Madhya Pradesh, the Congress on Saturday demanded its dismissal and imposition of President's Rule in the state.

"I have demanded from the Governor the implementation of President's Rule in the state as the government has given up on the current situation," Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajay Singh told reporters here.

"It is time that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stop this indefinite fast 'nautanki' (drama) and retire from politics. A person who aligns with (Nathuram) Godse's thinking is now becoming a 'Gandhiwadi'," he said.

He added that the person who is responsible for killing six farmers in the state, is now appealing for peace.

"The people made him the state's leader and gave him big houses, all comforts to carry out his duties. But he went to a ground to run his government. This is a betrayal of the people's confidence in him and he is insulting them.

"State Agriculture Minister Gauri Shankar Bisen has said that there can be no loan waiver for farmers, while the Home Minister and others are giving different statements. Overall farmers are being duped," he said.

Ajay Singh demanded that all the money that is spent from the state's treasury for the Chief Minister's "drama" should be recovered from the BJP government. Besides this, all demands of the farmers should also be agreed upon immediately and Chouhan should resign.

Farmers' protests that started in the state on June 1, demanding better prices for their produce and debt relief, turned violent on June 6 when six farmers were killed in police firing in Mandsaur.

Meanwhile, Chouhan started his indefinite fast at BHEL's Dussehra Maidan here on Saturday till peace is restored in the state.

- IANS