Centre’s ‘bias’ hurting MP

Madhya Pradesh’s (MP’s) suave and low-profile chief minister (CM) Shivraj Singh Chauhan is uncharacteristically angry. He feels the nation’s federal structure is in danger and could force CMs to hit the road seeking justice for their people.

Chauhan says due to the outgoing UPA government’s (read Congress’) blatant discrimination against non-Congress state governments, crores of people are suffering.

Chauhan is perhaps the first CM to have launched a ‘satyagraha’ against the Centre and taken out a march, popularly called ‘coal march’. He angrily says, is MP not a part of India? Should its people suffer a power crisis just because they voted for the BJP? He spoke at length with DNA. Excerpts:

Why the satyagraha and the march?
MP’s over 6 crore people are suffering because of a severe power crisis. The state’s coal quota is inadequate. It’s a deliberate act of the Manmohan Singh government. I say this because despite my three meetings with the PM, things simply haven’t moved in Delhi. I, however, do not believe the PM is ineffective.

MP needs over 17 lakh metric tonnes of coal, but gets only about 11 lakh metric tonnes, affecting power generation badly. We had scant rain this season. The situation is grim with summer at the doorstep.

What’s your main demand from the Centre?
MP is one of the leading coal producers, but our coal linkage is with the Centre. The Centre sells 70% of our coal to other states and private parties and asks us to fulfil our need from the expensive market. Coal mined near a thermal plant is shipped out of MP and we are asked to buy our requirement from, say, Chhattisgarh. How ridiculous!

But how does this threaten the federal system?
Coal is the latest example. Earlier, they denied us power. Before that, the Centre did not send drought relief even after agriculture minister Sharad Pawar’s promise. Pawar was to visit MP but was stopped by the state’s Congress leaders. Punjab too has charged the Centre with playing politics and denying dues.

What’s this politics?
Last time when they denied us adequate power, our assembly polls were round the corner. Now, general elections are due. Congress leaders perhaps feel if people are made to suffer, they would vote for their party.

What’s the alternative?
The time has come to review Centre-state relations. A well-defined policy will have to be framed. When the BJP-led NDA was in power in Delhi, it did not discriminate on party lines. Sarkaria Commission recommendations must be revisited and if needed, a new panel formed. This is why I say the federal structure is under stress.

Are you worried a power-less MP may not attract industry?
Many top industrial houses are showing interest in MP. Last year’s investors’ meets were successful and already a huge investment has come our way. We have picked up only serious players and cancelled Rs6,000 crore worth of MoUs. Recently, Narayan Murthy has shown interest in setting up an Infosys unit in Indore. But he is waiting for the economic slowdown to end. MP is indeed a favoured destination and if we get good rain this year, power production will go up.