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Chauhan has 10 questions for UPA Government

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan broke his 24-hour “fast” on Thursday and asked the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to answer ten questions.

He was on fast in protest against “deliberate” neglect of the State’s demands by the Centre.

Mr. Chauhan asked why power supply to the State from the Central Grid was reduced from 350 MW to 31 MW; what was the reason for curtailing the allotment of coal for thermal power units in the State from 14.2 metric tonnes to 12.7 metric tonnes from April onward; why there had been delay in completing work on the Birsinghpur and Amarkantak plants; why the Birsinghpur plant was being forced to shut down every second day; why Madhya Pradesh was being supplied low-grade coal; why the drought-affected people were being denied Central assistance; why the State was not being given the required quota of foodgrains under the BPL category despite severe drought; why the quota of foodgrains was being restricted to only 41 lakh BPL families when the number of BPL families in the State was 62 lakh; why the Centre was giving less assistance to Madhya Pradesh than Kerala for building dwelling units for the poor (the State has 37 lakh houseless families but funds were being given to construct only 47, 000 dwellings); and why Madhya Pradesh was being given poor quality “red wheat’ for distribution under the public distribution system (PDS)?

Ending his fast, the Chief Minister cited the example of Mahatma Gandhi and said he would not tolerate injustice. “I can bear any amount of pain inflicted on myself but not the injustice being perpetuated by the Centre on the people of Madhya Pradesh,” he said, adding that “the struggle will continue till the Centre addresses the issues confronting the people of this State”.

In the next phase, a signature campaign would be launched. This would be followed up by a “nyaya-yatra” (journey for justice) before embarking on a peaceful struggle for justice. There would be an indefinite “fast” if the Centre fails to resolve the issues.

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