BHOPAL: Union Agriculture Minister and local BJP MP Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday faced massive protests by locals in the flood-hit Sheopur town of Madhya Pradesh.
Alleging mismanagement of the unprecedented flood situation in Amral and Seep rivers, which marooned the entire Sheopur town recently, the angry locals tried to block the passage of the union minister's motorcade, threw black flags, broom, and mud on his motorcade.
The angry protestors clapped in unison not to welcome the Union minister-cum-local MP, but to protest the mismanagement of the situation by the local administration.
The residents, which mostly included traders and families in the Ganesh Bazar area (the main market of Sheopur town) have suffered huge losses owing to inundating of their shops with floodwater.
Not only did the protestors take to the streets while the Union minister's motorcade was passing through the main market of Sheopur town, but also tried to push and shove Tomar, while he was walking through crowded streets.
The police had a tough time in cordoning the union minister to safety, sources present in Sheopur town told The New Indian Express.
Importantly, angry residents had staged similar protests in Sheopur town on Thursday, alleging mismanagement of floods.
Tomar is the BJP from the Morena Lok Sabha constituency, which comprises the Sheopur district also. He had visited Sheopur on Saturday to take stock of the situation post floods. As many as six deaths have been reported in Sheopur district (which neighbours Rajasthan) due to floods and rain-related mishaps since July 28. Its direct road connection with the Baran and Sawai Madhopur districts of Rajasthan has been cut off.
As per sources in Sheopur, prior to recent floods, both Seep and Amral rivers had flooded way back in 1971.
Meanwhile, the official toll in the flood and rain-related mishaps in eight districts of the Gwalior-Chambal region has risen to 24. With rains stopping and rivers in the region receding, the situation is slowly improving in all the districts. So far 1250 villages in eight districts of the region have been affected by rains and floods and around 9,000 people rescued from the worst-hit areas.