Congress Burns CM Mohan Yadav's Effigy In MP's Alirajpur Over Crop Damage, Power Cuts; Demands Drought-Hit Status

Congress party activists in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav during a protest on Tuesday. The demonstration arose from concerns over crop damage due to low rainfall and surprise power outages. Hundreds of protesters, headed by ex-district Congress leader Mahesh Patel and Omprakash Rathore, chanted slogans and marched to the collector's office to deliver a letter of complaint.

Patel argued that scanty rain had damaged standing crops and called for the district to be declared drought-affected, asserting that farmers needed immediate relief. He criticized the BJP's rule, stating officials were content while the public suffered. He also blamed factionalism within the district for halted development projects.

The protesters vowed further protests if drought status was not granted or if power cuts persisted. The memorandum demanded drought status, compensation for affected farmers, and a permanent resolution to the electricity issue. Youth Congress district president Pushpraj Patel, Kailash Chauhan, Rajendra Tawli, Suresh Sarda, Harish Bhabhar, and Khurshid Diwan were among the attendees.

Additionally, around 300 farmers from Bakaner and surrounding villages protested electricity cuts at the Bakaner power grid early Monday morning. They accused Executive Engineer Kalam Singh Tadwal of uncooperativeness and requested a senior official's immediate intervention. The farmers also expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of senior officials' arrival until the morning.

Notably, some farmers from Mirzapur, Kuwali, Jalkheda, Barda, Ratwa, Malangaon, Ajanta, and Pipriman joined the protest. Regional MLA Hiralal Alawa visited the site and warned that if power cuts continued during Navratri, he would join the farmers in larger demonstrations. District Panchayat member Shivram Kannoj and SDM Pramod Gurjar also met with the farmers, instructing the engineer to handle their concerns respectfully.

The engineer claimed his phone had died, hindering communication. He assured an investigation into the complaints and promised bill rectification if any errors were found.