Cong seeks to corner BJP govt on Indore water tragedy, farmer issues during MP budget session

Bhopal, Feb 16 (PTI) The Congress on Monday evening held a meeting of its legislature party and chalked out a strategy to corner the BJP government during the Madhya Pradesh assembly's budget session over a range of issues, including the Indore water tragedy, state's economy and plight of farmers.

The budget session of the assembly began in Bhopal on a stormy note on Monday morning with Congress members creating uproar during Governor Mangubhai Patel's address.

After the meeting, the principal Opposition party said it would also strongly raise demands for the resignation of some controversial BJP ministers, "rising" corruption and crimes against women, changes made in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and issues related to the rights of tribal, Dalit and OBC communities.

In the evening, a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) was held at the residence of Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, where issues of public interest to be raised during the session were discussed.

Later, Singhar said in a statement, "This budget session will not be allowed to become merely a game of numbers. The voice of the people of the state, farmers, youth, women, tribals, Dalits and backward classes will be raised forcefully in the House." He claimed that more than 30 people have died so far after drinking contaminated water in Indore's Bhagirathpura area and asserted the Congress would raise the issue prominently in the House.

"An adjournment motion has been moved on this serious negligence by the administration, but the government is avoiding discussion. The CLP will demand accountability in the House on this issue," the senior MLA insisted.

The Leader of Opposition alleged that farmers were being deprived of mandatory procurement at minimum support price (MSP) and that the government was avoiding direct procurement by imposing the 'Bhavantar model'.

Notably, the Bhavantar scheme, specifically targeting soybean farmers, allows the state government to compensate the difference if traders purchase the product below the MSP declared by the Centre.

He expressed apprehension that the recently announced US-India interim trade agreement could adversely affect farmers in Madhya Pradesh and noted the Congress would seek answers from the government on the issue.

Singhar claimed that with the increasing size of the budget, the debt burden on the state had exceeded the budget itself.

He said the Congress would press the government to issue a 'white paper' on the actual economic condition of the state.

The Congress leader maintained the party would strongly raise the demands for the resignation of ministers Kailash Vijayvargiya, Rajendra Shukla and Vijay Shah over what he called serious administrative failures on their part and issue of accountability.

The state budget for 2026-27 will be presented on February 18, and the session will conclude on March 6. PTI LAL RSY