BJP to organise fast across MP

Bhopal, Apr 27 (UNI) The BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh would organise a 24-hour fast across the state on April 30 in protest against the UPA government's move to introduce cuts in the state's foodgrain quota and under various heads.

''Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will fast at local Roshanpura and the BJP's state unit President Narendra Singh Tomar will do likewise at Sidhi,'' the BJP's state spokesman Umashankar Gupta said at a press conference here today.

He claimed that, for the first time in political history, every minister, MP, MLA and corporation chairperson would go on fast at 1100 hrs on April 30 against the ''stepmotherly'' treatment being meted out to the state's public, calling it ''political vendatta''.

Even district polling centre workers would take part.

''Mr Chouhan wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and even met the latter but the Centre paid scant heed to the public struggling against drought and inflation. The number of Below Poverty Line families is 62 lakh but the Centre is making foodgrain available for 41 lakh in this state,'' alleged Mr Gupta.

Pointing out that 37 of 48 districts were drought-affected, he added that no assistance was forthcoming despite two study groups' report.

''A mere 31 MW, instead of 350 MW, is being provided under a central discretionary quota. A 15 per cent reduction has been effected in the monthly 14.5-lakh metric tonnes quota for the Sarni, Chachai and Birsinghpur thermal power projects,'' Mr Gupta said.

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