Former AICC President and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused the CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led MP government of malpractices and said that the state is the "epicentre" of corruption in the country. He alleged BJP took away money through various scams in the state, adding that the saffron party also did not pay heed to the demands of farmers which led to the deaths of "18,000 farmers" in the state under BJP's reign.
Accusing the saffron party of spreading hate, the Wayanad MP said, "On one side is the Congress Party, Gandhiji and on the other side is the BJP, RSS and Godse. On one side there is hatred and violence and on the other side, there is love, respect and brotherhood. Wherever they (BJP) go, they spread hatred but now the youth and farmers of Madhya Pradesh have started hating them... Madhya Pradesh is the epicentre of corruption in the country..."
Talking about the newly-made law on women's reservation in parliament and state assemblies, Gandhi said they backed the bill but only contended to remove two conditions --- one of the census and the other is the delimitation exercise. He also said that his party demanded for inclusion of OBC quoted in the women's reservation bill as well.
Rahul Gandhi said that three CMs of four Congress-ruled states are OBCs, adding that BJP is anti-OBC. He also said no one can tell what the population is there in the state as there is no caste census at all.
He said that the MP government is not giving the right price to the farmers for their crops. "Go and ask the farmers of Chhattisgarh how much money they get for the paddy crop. What we promised, we completed it. For the first time in the history of India, farmers are paying taxes. They implemented GST... Our government works for the poor and farmers..." the former Congress chief said.
He said the caste census would be the first thing his government would do if it comes to power at the Centre.
"When I ask the question how many Dalits, OBCs, tribals, Generals are there in the country, no one is able to answer it... After forming the government at the Centre, the first thing we will do is to conduct caste census..."
Earlier, addressing the gathering here, MP Congress Chief Kamal Nath said the biggest problem in the state is unsecured future of the youth. "This state (Madhya Pradesh) is No.1 in unemployment today and the biggest challenge here is the unsecured future of our youth. The state has become 'Chaupat Pradesh'," he said.
Importantly, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is unofficially leading the party's campaign in Madhya Pradesh and she has sounded the poll bugles from Jabalpur in July. Priyanka Gandhi has so far addressed three public rallies in MP. While, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge has so far addressed one public rally in Sagar.
Madhya Pradesh is scheduled to go for the assembly polls later this year. Through the polls, the state will elect legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies.