Bhopal: Over the delay in flood relief from Centre, Madhya Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath would soon sit on fast in New Delhi. The date for the dharna is yet to be decided. While talking to media persons after the Cabinet meeting, Public Relations Minister PC Sharma told media persons that the matter of step motherly treatment of the Centre came up for discussion during the cabinet meeting on Thursday and it was decided that the members of the cabinet would stage fast in New Delhi if the Centre fails to extend flood relief shortly.
Sharma claimed that the state government has set up a flood relief fund in which ministers and bureaucrats have contributed with one month’s salary. The state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 16,000 cr and the Centre’s inspection team estimated losses of Rs 7,000 cr but that amount is also yet to be released.
Underlining the magnitude of losses in the flood, Sharma claimed that 11,000 km of roads have been damaged in flood, 55 lakh farmers have lost crops sown on 60 lakh hectares and over one lakh houses have been destroyed in the floods but they (Centre) aren’t ready to dole out anything.
The minister claimed that MP suffered heavy losses as the state witnessed 55% to 60% excess rains this year. “When they are offering help to other BJP rules states, why can’t they do the same for Congress ruled Madhya Pradesh,” asked Sharma.
The PR minister further said that the BJP is staging dharna in Bhopal on November 4 in the favour of farmers so we are of the view why not the BJP holds protest in New Delhi. “I ask the BJP to hold protest against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi, if they won’t we would observe fast in the national capital under the leadership of Kamal Nath,” added Sharma.
Notably, on October 21, Nath had called on Home minister Amit Shah and urged him to issue grant of Rs 6,600 cr for Madhya Pradesh and prior to this, the Chief Minister had also met PM Modi and requested for help.
