"BJP has tendency of telling lies," says Chhattisgarh CM Baghel, refuting BJP's claim of taking loan

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 24 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday refuted the Bharatiya Janata Party's claim that the government took loans and said that the party has a tendency of "telling lies".

"BJP has the tendency of telling lies. When the financial status and arrangement of Chhattisgarh will be compared with India, UP, and Madhya Pradesh, we have not taken any loan. From April to June, we have not taken a loan. But our neighbouring state Madhya Pradesh has taken loan twice or thrice," Bhupesh Baghel said while addressing the reporters here.

He further slammed the BJP-led central government over the situation of Manipur and said, "People of BJP claim that our state has no communalism. Manipur has been burning here for 50 days but the Prime Minister does not have time to talk to solve the problem."

Notably, violence gripped Manipur on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.

Congress has been vocal on Manipur since the outbreak of violence started in the BJP-ruled state.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that the unprecedented violence that has devastated the lives of people in Manipur has "left a deep wound in the conscience of our nation" while appealing for peace and harmony in the state.

However, all party-meeting called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the prevailing situation in Manipur have begun here in New Delhi.

The meeting was called by Amit Shah to take stock of the situation in the violence-wracked state. BJP national president JP Nadda, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and CPI(M) MP John Brittas among other leaders are present in the meeting.

Amit Shah had appealed for peace and warned of strict action against miscreants during his four-day visit to the violence-wracked state earlier in May.

The opposition has slammed BJP and questioned the BJP government on the issue in Manipur.

As Manipur is still witnessing incidents like arson since May 3, the state government has extended the ban on the internet by five more days till June 25 with immediate effect in an effort to prevent further disturbance to peace.

The data services have also been banned in view of the persisting unrest in the state.

The trigger was provided by a Manipur High Court order directing the state to consider including the Meitei community in the Scheduled list.

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities.