Farmers committing suicide under Congress govt: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Riga (Sitamarhi, Bihar): Hitting the campaign trail in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday attacked the Congress alleging that under its rule several farmers have committed suicide and poverty has not been eradicated.

"Congress since the days of Indira Gandhi has been giving slogans of garibi hatao. This was repeated during the time of Rajiv Gandhi and now under Manmohan Singh... But has garibi ended?" Chouhan asked at an election rally here in Sitamarhi district. On farmer suicide, he alleged "Maa-bete ki sarkar mein kisan atma hatya kar raha hain (farmers are committing suicide under the government of mother and son)." In MP, he said, farmers were provided loan at zero per cent interest and were called to foodgrain procurement centres through SMS. Criticising the Congress-led UPA he listed 2G, CWG, coalgate scams. Taking a cue from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh`s former media advisor, Sanjay Baru`s book, he said "It`s a unique experiment of governance in the country where the real power rests with mother-son, but responsibility lies on Prime Minister and ministers." Attacking RJD President Lalu Prasad and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he said "Everybody knows that Lalu Prasad destroyed Bihar and it`s really a wonder on what ground he is again seeking support from the people." On Nitish Kumar, he alleged that ever since he dumped the BJP he was working for the destruction of Bihar. Chouhan said Gujarat and MP had implemented Atal Bihari Vajpayee`s idea of linking rivers to benefit agriculture. "When Digvijay Singh was the Chief Minister of MP the state used to get 3 hours of power, but now even villages have 24 hour electricity supply," he claimed. The MP CM lauded Narendra Modi and said "today he has become the face of development."