RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday said if the Centre replicates the farm policy of his government, the ongoing farmers agitation outside Delhi against new agri-marketing laws would be called off in a day.
Addressing a function at Chandkhuri village in Raipur district to mark the completion of two years of the Congress government, Baghel said Chhattisgarh, which was earlier infamous for Left Wing Extremism (LWE), is now known for prosperous farmers and its rich culture.
Earlier Chhattisgarh was known for Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) (in Durg district) and the naxal menace.
"But from the last two years, it is known as the state of prosperous farmers. Our identity is now our farmers and tribals," the chief minister said.
When the entire country faced recession during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state remained unaffected by economic downturn, he said.
Farmers have been agitating for the last 20-22 days and have surrounded the national capital (Delhi) but cultivators of Chhattisgarh are engaged in selling their paddy and they are getting minimum support price (MSP).
"If the Centre decides to adopt the farm policy of the Chhattisgarh government, then the cultivators agitation would be called off tomorrow, the Congress chief minister said.
The occasion also witnessed the culmination of 'Ram Van Gaman Path Paryatan Rath Yatra' and motorbike rally started on December 14 in the state.
As per mythology, Ram Van Gaman Path is the route taken by Lord Ram on his way to the 14-year exile.
The rath yatra and morobike rally was simultaneously on December 14 from Korea in north Chhattisgarh and Sukma in south Chhattisgarh and concluded at Chandkhuri, which is believed to be the birth place of Mata Kaushalya, on Thursday.
According to research scholars, Lord Ram had entered Chhattisgarh from Korea district and had passed through nearly 75 places before exiting the state from Sukma for heading towards south.
In the first phase of a project, nine of the selected places falling on the route taken by Lord Ram will be developed as tourist destinations at a cost of Rs 137 crore. Everyone takes the name of Ram. Now a days those who want to collect votes and notes (money) are also taking the name of Ram.
"Ram was the last words of our father of nation Mahatma Gandhi who was shot dead by these people. No one can teach us about Ram. Our Ram is of poor, farmers and labourers."
"We worship Ram in every form. They take the name of Ram for their own benefits but we do not," Baghel said without naming anyone.