The rally led by the state BKU president Anil Yadav started from the Board Office square and ended at the Secretariat. Apart from unconditional waiver of all farm loans, the farmers urged the Government to pay a bonus of Rs. 265 per quintal on wheat as paid by the previous government. They said that if the government wants to improve Bhawantar Bhugtan Yojna it should ensure that no trader is able to buy any agricultural produce below the support price in mandis. They also asked the government to withdraw all the cases that were registered against the farmers during the Mandasur protests, besides fixing the minimum price of milk at Rs. 40 per litre.

The farmers threatened to intensify their protests if their demands are not met by February 25.
Meanwhile MP Government is trying to make legal provisions so that farmers’ loan waiving process is not stalled during imposition of model election code. There are expectations that model election code may be enforced in the first week of March keeping in view the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held in the month of May. State Government is going to make provisions for farm loan waiver in vote-on-account too.

The vote-on-account would be brought for government expenses between April and July. The vote-on-account would be brought in the assembly session starting from February 18 and the fund for loan waiver would be put in vote-on-account so that loan waiver amount could be sent in the bank accounts of the farmers after April. The government apprehends that with code of conduct for Lok Sabha elections becoming effective, a ban on farm loan waiver might be put.

The state government is intentionally making this provision in vote-on-account for BJP to oppose sending of funds in the accounts as farm loan waiver. If BJP opposes then Congress would term it as anti-farmer. The opposition might instigate farmers who were getting benefit of farm loan waiver, which the government would never want.

In order to demolish the hold of the RSS on various wings of the Government, Kamal Nath Government is likely to wind up the Jan Abhiyan Parishad. The Jan Abhiyan Parishad (JAP) is a quasi-official outfit, that was monitored directly by the then Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The new government’s move is aimed at weeding out RSS workers from governance.
Amid allegations of corruption and recruitment of pro-RSS volunteers in the Parishad, Chief Minister Kamal Nath has refused to chair its meetings say sources. The erstwhile BJP government had regularised most of the 500-odd workers of the organisation just before the model code of conduct for the 2018 assembly polls came into force.

JAP was formed in Madhya Pradesh in 1997 to bridge the gap between the state government, Centre and NGOs working in various sectors. It remained dormant until 2004 when the BJP government revived it. It turned into one of the most high profile organistions but there were allegations of misuse of government funds by a section of workers. A lot of money passed through the Parishad – ahead of last year’s election, Rs. 20 crore was apparently transferred to JAP in the name of Sambal scheme and payment made in six days.

Labour Minister Mahendra Singh Sisodia said that CAG has objected to it, “An enquiry is being instituted into the functioning of the Parishad. The special Task Force (STF) will probe the allegations”. Congress spokesperson J P Dhanopia alleges that ABVP and RSS volunteers were recruited in the Parishad on contract and that JAP acted as “BJPs political wing” in the 2008 and 2013 elections.

The BJP is also making elaborate preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Madhya Pradesh. According to the schedule prepared by the state leadership, Modi will address a public meeting in Hoshangabd. Hoshangabad is one of the districts from where BJP has captured all the Vidhan Sabha seats in the last Vidhan Sabha polls. As part of the preparation the BJP has asked its members and also people supporting the party to unfurl party flags on their houses. The party hopes that party flag will fly almost on all the houses of Hoshangabad, which is also a holy place because it is located on the bank of Narmada river. With the objective of bringing more than 2 lakh persons to the Modi’s rally on February 15, the party men have decided to visit homes to hand over invitation for the rally. (IPA Service)