MP government tables Budget, Congress stages walkout from assembly

Bhopal: Members of the Opposition Congress party led by former chief minister Kamal Nath on Wednesday staged a walkout from the Madhya Pradesh Assembly in protest against the price hike in the domestic and commercial LPG cylinders.

The walkout took place as the government today presented a Rs 3.14 lakh crore state budget for 2023-24. Congress members including former ministers Tarun Bhanot, Vijay Laxmi Sadho and Jitu Patwari created ruckus in the House over the LPG price hike issue the moment state Finance Minister Jagdish Devda started reading out the budget proposals.

Speaking to ANI, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Chief Kamal Nath lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government for the budget proposals.

"We had demanded that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan should reduce the price of an LPG cylinder by Rs 500 in Madhya Pradesh. He (CM Chouhan) did not give the assurance, so we walked out of the assembly," Nath told ANI.

"The state government is spoiling the budget of the households along with the budgets of women over the in the last three years as they had promised they would give Rs 1000 to the women. It is only their politics," Nath added.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had earlier this month said Rs1000 per month will be given to woman in the state under the 'Ladli Behna Yojana' from International Women's day on March 8 this year.

"The biggest problem is inflation, the government should give answers on it. They have come to present the budget by increasing gas price by Rs 50," the PCC Chief said.

Congress party workers also staged a protest against the price hike in the domestic and commercial LPG cylinders outside the state assembly this morning.
During the protest, Congress MLA from Kalapipal Constituency in Shajapur district, Kunal Choudhary said, "Today again the gas price has increased. Inflation is rising. It is clear that the government should reduce the gas price and provide relief to the public."
"Wherever there is Congress government, the LPG is being given at the rate Rs 500 and it is our demand that here too the price should be reduced to Rs 500, Choudhary added.

Congress MLA from Jabalpur West constituency Tarun Bhanot said, "The BJP-led state government speaks lies. After presenting the economic survey report on Tuesday, the government hides all the records and pats their back. Today, we got a gift that the domestic LPG cylinder price rose by Rs 50. What kind of economic development is this?"
"What kind of economic development in Madhya Pradesh is going on when women are facing problems. The government which is responsible for inflation, corruption and looting the money of the public through the budget will not be accepted," Bhanot added.

The budget session of the Madhya Pradesh assembly began on Monday. (ANI)