Declare crop damage due to frost as national calamity: BJP

NEW DELHI: A demand for declaring the damage to crops caused by frost in Madhya Pradesh as a national calamity generated heat in the Lok Sabha today.

The House was adjourned for almost 90 minutes after BJP members from the state stormed the well demanding immediate relief to the affected farmers by the Centre.

"Farmers in Madhya Pradesh, whose crops have been damaged by frost, are committing suicide and the Centre should come out with immediate help by declaring the damage caused by frost as a national calamity," Bhoopendra Singh, MP from Sagar, said while raising the issue during Zero Hour.

He said there has been "no response from the Centre" despite Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.

As he spoke, other BJP members from the state trooped into the well. Congress members from the state, including Meenakshi Natarajan, were also on their feet raising some issues but were inaudible.