MP CM hits back at Rahul, asks what Cong did for farmers when in power

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on Wednesday hit back at Congress president Rahul Gandhi after the latter accused the Bhartiya Janata Party of betraying the farmers in the state.

Addressing the media, Singh said, "The Congress should talk about what they have done for the farmers when they were in power...The Congress is levelling baseless allegations against the BJP even after the party is doing its best for the farmers."

He said, "When the Congress Government was in power they did nothing for the farmers. They did not do anything for the supply of water for irrigation in the state. But the BJP Government in the state has done that. And now the Congress is trying to incite violence in the state by evoking the sentiments of the farmers."

Invoking the killing of farmers in Multai in 1998 under the Congress Government, the Chief Minister said that instead of questioning the BJP, Rahul Gandhi should explain the violence that happened under his party.

"Inke (Congress) zamane mein to khad ke liye laathiyan chalti thi. Aur ye goli ki baat karte hain, kaun the Mukhyamantri, jab Multai mein goli chali thi? 21 se jyada kisano ki maut hui thi Betul jile ke Multayi mein. Pehle Congress uska hisab de (During the time of Congress, shots were fired just for fertilizers. They are talking about firing (Mandsaur police firing), who was the chief minister in Madhya Pradesh when more than 21 farmers had died in the Multai firing? Congress should first answer that)"

Earlier in the day, Congress President Rahul Gandhi while addressing a Kisan Samriddhi Sankalp rally in the state, said, "If the Congress is voted to power in Madhya Pradesh, within 10 days, the debt will be forgiven. Our first job is to protect the farmers of India. Almost 1200 farmers have killed themselves in a year,"

Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul said, "Narendra Modi calls Mehul Choksi, "Mehul Bhai", these people were given Rs.30 crores each by him. If Madhya Pradesh had that money, farmers wouldn't have committed suicide."

Mandsaur became the epicentre of farmers' agitation over a demand for loan waivers and better prices for their produce.

During the agitation, several farmers were gunned down by the police, thereby drawing criticism from political parties.