Unseasonal rain and hailstorm have caused heavy damage to crops in Madhya Pradesh. (File)
A day after a leader of the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh claimed that the only solution to the current spell of bad weather was recitation of '
Hanuman Chalisa' or a collection of hymns dedicated to Lord Hanuman, a minister in the state appeared to back the remarks of his party colleague.
Asked if he agreed with the views of BJP leader Ramesh Saxena, minister Gauri Shankar Chaturbhuj Bisen said, "I am a religious person. I worship Lord Hanuman. Whenever Nature gets angry with us, we should apply all these things."
Unseasonal rain and hailstorm over the past couple of days have caused massive damage to standing Rabi crops in over 400 villages of about seven districts in the state.
On Monday, the former BJP lawmaker from Sehore, Ramesh Saxena claimed that divine intervention was the only way out of the freak weather. He had also appealed to farmers to collectively recite '
Hanuman Chalisa'.
Ramesh Saxena claimed that divine intervention was the only way out of the freak weather.
"Scientists have said that over the next four-five days, the weather will worsen. Heavy hailstorm and rain have been forecast. To escape these disasters, the only solution is to chant '
Hanuman Chalisa'. I appeal to all my farmer brothers to collectively recite the
Chalisa for one hour daily. There is no other solution," Mr Saxena had said.
To drive home his point, Mr Saxena went a step further. "Lord Hanuman is the son of wind god. If there's no wind movement, there will be no rain. And if it doesn't rain, there will be no hailstones".
"Lord Hanuman has all the powers. And recitation of the '
Hanuman Chalisa' will definitely be a great source of power," said the minister, adding that "no farmer in the state needs to worry. All collectors of the districts affected by rain and hailstorm have been instructed to assess the damage to crops".