Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday joined villagers staging a 'dharna' in Kosmi village of Budhni assembly constituency to protest the demolition of their houses in a joint operation by the forest department and district administration.
Expressing strong displeasure over the action, Chouhan warned that those responsible for rendering poor families homeless would not be spared and would face strict action.
The former chief minister described the demolition of houses, damage to crops and filling of wells with mud as shameful acts, saying that the height of injustice had been crossed.
He said houses that once buzzed with children's activities were now witnessing their cries, while women were weeping over the destruction. He further stated that houses had been demolished and crops buried under the debris.
The Union minister described those responsible for the demolition as heartless and compared them to demons, condemning the razing of houses that had stood for years.
He called chief secretary Ashok Barnwal and informed him about the incident. He also spoke to BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal and apprised him of the situation.
Chouhan assured the affected villagers that he would take up the issue with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and ensure justice for them.
Temporary living arrangements will be made for the homeless villagers and new houses will be constructed for them, said Chouhan.
Till the filing of the story, neither the collector nor the superintendent of police (SP) had reached the village to meet Chouhan and the villagers.
