Congress supports Karni Sena agitation in Madhya Pradesh: Kamal Nath

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Kamal Nath on Monday claimed that the Congress party supports the ongoing agitation by Karni Sena in Bhopal.

Nath made the remark while speaking to mediapersons during a conference of panchayat representatives at Ravindra Bhawan in Bhopal on Monday.

The Karni Sena is staging a demonstration at Bhopal's Jamboree Maidan raising 22 demands, including an amendment to reservation on the basis of economic backgrounds and a change to the Atrocity Act, 1989.

Nath said, "I support their demands. The government should hold talks with them and try to meet their demands. Nothing will come from suppressing or instigating them. The state government should sit and discuss the demands as they could be met. The Congress is with them. We will fulfil their legitimate demands if voted back."

On the conference by panchayat representatives, the former CM said, "They are our local public representatives who won the elections through their hard work. They won the elections despite the BJP's money, police and administration. The voices of these panchayat representatives need to be heard."

On the ongoing Pravasi Bharatiya Sammelan and Investors Summit in Indore, he said, "Everyone knows how much investment came to Madhya Pradesh in the last 18 years. However, I do welcome investors coming to the state. But investor trust cannot be built merely by holding conferences and summits. Investments will come when the investors have faith in the state administration."

"Madhya Pradesh is surrounded by five states in the south. The one who wants to sell its goods in the south sets up factories in the north, as Madhya Pradesh has come to be associated with corruption and tardy implementation of policies. This is why investments don't come to Madhya Pradesh," Nath added.