Congress MLAs in MP continue sit in, threaten hunger strike

Congress legislators in Madhya Pradesh assembly continued their sit in on Wednesday demanding speedy compensation for farmers whose crops have been damaged by untimely heavy rain and hailstorms. The sit in began on Tuesday night near the speaker's podium.

The MLAs have threatened to go on hunger strike if their 10 demands, including suspension of recovery of electricity dues and loans, are not accepted.

Congress MLA Jeetu Patwari told the media on Wednesday: "The chief minister does not keep his word. Therefore, the Congress MLAs have been forced to stage the dharna in the assembly. If the government fails to accept our demands we will be forced to go on hunger strike."

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra had met the agitating Congress MLAs on Tuesday night and informed them of the steps taken by the state government to help the affected farmers, and urged the legislators to end their sit in. Speaker Sitaram Mishra also met the legislators on Wednesday morning.

One-day session of the assembly was called on Tuesday to pass the supplementary budget. During the session, the issue of crop damage was raised by Congress MLAs. The government promised to extend every assistance to the affected farmers.

Not satisfied with the reply by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Congress legislators staged a dharna in the well of the assembly. Though the session ended on Tuesday, they continued their agitation on Wednesday.