From Farm Loan Waivers to Rapes of Minors, BJP Looks to Corner Kamal Nath Govt

Bhopal: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh is keeping Kamal Nath-led Congress government on its toes, consistently cornering it over several issues including the frequent power outages, rapes and farm distress.

A jittery Congress government seems to have no answer to the opposition’s onslaught.

Ever since the Congress came to power in December last year, breaking the BJP’s 15-year stint in the state, CM Kamal Nath has had to step up on several issues including those pertaining to power outages and farm loan waivers, which also went on to become a prominent poll issue.

Following its thumping win in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, the BJP has only heightened pressure on the beleaguered Kamal Nath government.

The latest protest from the Bharatiya Janata Party was carried out by party national general secretary Kailash Vijayvarigya in a “Kisan Akrosh Rally” that saw the participation of large numbers of farmers who came with tractors.

The rally focussed on various issues including farm loan waivers, unpaid dues and others.

The BJP had also exerted immense pressure on the Congress government in the recent case of the sexual assaults on minor girls.

To start with, the party leaders handed a memorandum to Governor Anandiben Patel on the increasing number of assaults on minor girls.

A vocal critic of the Kamal Nath government, former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited the family of the minor girl, who was raped and murdered by a neighbour in the slum settlement last Saturday.

The BJP leaders led by Chouhan on Monday evening also staged a candle march in the city over growing cases of rape in the state. During the march, Chouhan alleged an absolute breakdown of law and order in the state.

Chouhan led a second protest on the streets of Bhopal and even wrote to the Chief Justice of India on the prevailing situation on Tuesday.

Besides, the BJP has been extremely aggressive on issues including farm loan waivers accusing the Congress government of lying on the issue despite the ruling party making conscious efforts to prove its claims that granted farmers loan waivers.

The Congress government also face criticism on the issue of the frequent power cuts. The ruling party with its tainted past of acute power shortage during Digvijay Singh era is finding it difficult to contain power cuts and has been persistently accusing the BJP of conniving with the like-minded government staffers to create artificial power shortage.

During a meeting with Energy minister Priyavrat Singh on Monday, Congress workers made similar allegations following which the minister asked them to provide evidence for their claim so he could throw take action.

The BJP then upped the ante further and announced that it will take out a yatra with chimni lanterns (bottles lit up with oil) to underline the power outages in the state.

But, there’s little respite for Kamal Nath as Chouhan and other BJP leaders announced that they will be cornering his government on various issues during the Monsoon Session of assembly which starts from July 8.