Cong stages walkout from MP Assembly over farm loan waiver

Opposition Congress today staged a walkout from the Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly demanding waiver of farm loans and puchase of moong and urad crops at the minimum support price (MSP).
Before the walkout, the House witnessed adjournment of proceedings twice as the Congress members protested over the farmers' issues.
The issue was raised during the zero hour by Congress member Nilesh Awasthi, who alleged that the farmers in the state were facing problems as the government had stopped purchasing moong and urad crops at the MSP at its dedicated centres. Other Congress members joined him on the issue and raised slogans.

At this point, Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh said, "During a discussion on the adjournment motion yesterday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said that urad and moong will be purchased as per the MSP in the dedicated centers till July 31 and if necessary it will be purchased beyond the set deadline. Despite that it was stopped in many districts."
Deputy Speaker Rajendra Singh, who was chairing the session, asked the members to occupy their seats and maintain decorum. However, when the opposition MLAs did not relent, he adjourned the House for five minutes.
When the proceedings resumed, Congress members rushed to the Well of the House and continued with their protests over the issue.

Speaker Dr Sitasharan Sharma then told the Congress legislators that since Agriculture Minister Gaurishankar Bisen wanted to say something on the issue, they should go back to their chairs. However, as the opposition members refused to budge, the House was again adjourned for 15 mintutes.

Afterwards, when the House reassembled and the speaker initiated a discussion on calling attention motion moved by Congress member Hina Kanvre on some different issue, her party members continued with their protest in the Well, disrupting proceedings by raising slogans.
The leader of opposition, however, said that neither the government was waiving farm loans nor was it able to purchase the moong and urad as per the MSP.

He further said that when the Congress forms the government in the state, it will not only waive the farm loans, but also purchase their crops on MSP.
State Revenue Minister Uma Shankar Gupta said, "The Chief Minister had already stated during a discussion of the adjournment motion that it is not possible to waive farmers loans and urad and moong will be purchased as per the MSP till July 31."
But Congress members did not relent and persisted with their demand of farm loan waiver and other issues and later staged a walkout from the House as the government did not accept their demands.

Later, the speaker transacted the other listed business and adjourned the assembly till tomorrow.