Farmers' chest is of 56-inch, not of Modi: Scindia

Morena (MP), Oct 5: Taking a jibe at Narendra Modi, senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said it is not the Prime Minister but farmers whose chest is of 56 inches, for the way they are doing their job despite all odds.

"The way farmers in the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh were working despite extreme odd conditions, it proves that it is their chest which is of 56 inch and not that of Modi," Scindia said addressing a farmers' rally at Ambah town in the district yesterday.

He alleged that despite holding a special session of the Assembly on farmers' issue, the state government failed to distribute compensation to them since last three years.

Scindia rued that farmers continue to suffer because of inclement weather conditions like hail/frost, drought and excess rains in various parts of the state.

The Congress chief whip in Lok Sabha also said that despite not getting proper power, seeds and fertilisers, the farmers are producing food grains for the country and therefore, they deserve to be honoured.

He charged the Modi government with failing to pay minimum support price to the farmers for their produce, and claimed that during the Congress government the country's agriculture growth rate was 4.5 per cent, but under the present rule it has come down to just one per cent.

"The entire nation wants to know where are good days?" Scindia asked.

The high rate of inflation has hit the common man hard and in such a scenario, it looks odd that the Prime Minister is talking about "data" and not "aata" (wheat flour).

He also criticised the MP government over the Vyapam and 'Simhastha scam', and said that while people are suffering, the BJP leaders are becoming richer in the state.

Earlier, a group of Congressmen waved black flags at Scindia when he was going to address the rally as they were unhappy at not being given due importance at the programme.

A police jeep deployed in Scindia's security also overturned injuring six policemen, Congress Spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi said.

Later, Scinida visited the hospital where the injured were taken to enquire about their well-being, he added.

PTI