Why is Congress staging a ‘monkey show’ in the MP Assembly?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Congress protests to highlight government failures.
- Use of symbolic acts to emphasize public concerns.
- Focus on children's safety and rural economy.
- Debate on supplementary budget ongoing.
- Critical allocations for development programs announced.
Bhopal, Dec 4 (NationPress) On the third day of the Winter Session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, the opposition Congress orchestrated a theatrical ‘monkey show’ within the legislative chamber to emphasize what they described as the government’s inadequacies regarding significant public matters.
A contingent of Congress MLAs, spearheaded by the Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, Umang Singhar, accused the BJP government of usurping citizens' rights and allegedly endangering children's lives through tainted medications, in light of the recent Coldrif cough syrup incident in Chhindwara and a rat-bite case involving an infant at Indore’s M.Y. Hospital.
In a symbolic act of protest, one MLA donned a monkey suit while others encircled him, questioning, “What is this monkey doing here?” In reply, Singhar remarked: “Ye bandar BJP ki sarkar hai jiske haath mein ustara aa gaya hai (This monkey with a razor in hand is the BJP government).”
“This monkey is taking away jobs, harming children in medical facilities, causing disturbances, and disrupting law and order,” Singhar asserted during the demonstration.
Earlier on Tuesday, opposition members protested wearing placards that read 'Chidiya Chug Gayi Khet (birds consumed crops). The placards illustrated barren fields, damaged crops, and distressed farmers, representing what Congress termed the decline of the rural economy under the present administration.
On the session's opening day, the party had protested against the Coldrif tragedy and the incident at the Indore hospital.
Meanwhile, the Assembly is poised to deliberate on the second supplementary budget introduced on Tuesday by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Jagdish Devda. The budget, amounting to Rs 13,476.94 crore, allocates Rs 8,448.57 crore for revenue and Rs 5,028.37 crore for capital.
Key allocations include Rs 4,000 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural Development), Rs 1,794 crore for the Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana (Women & Child Development), and Rs 500 crore for the Bhavantar/flat rate scheme (Farmers’ Welfare & Agriculture Development).
The five-day Winter Session of the Assembly will conclude on Friday, December 5.