New Delhi [India], March 25 (ANI): Congress MP Praniti Shinde on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Centre and Maharashtra government over the issue of farmers.

Shinde alleged that when she was asking questions in Lok Sabha regarding agriculture and Maharashtra farmers her mic was turned off.

Slamming the Maharashtra government, the Congress MP said that the state government is only focusing on irrelevant issues.

'When I was asking questions regarding agriculture and brought it to the record that in Maharashtra, more than 30,000 farmers have committed suicide and more than 700 farmers died during the farmers' protest, my mic was turned off. It was an important question. Why are farmers leaving agriculture? Why are farmers committing suicide? Farmers are not being provided with loans...but the Maharashtra govt is only focusing on irrelevant issues,' Shinde told ANI.

During the Lok Sabha session, when Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was answering queries, opposition members started protesting. TMC MPs staged a protest against him.

Meanwhile, Opposition MPs from Kerala, including Congress' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a protest over the MNREGA issue in Parliament. Congress MP and LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also joined the protest for a short time.

Speaking on the issue, Congress MP KC Venugopal accused the Central government of bringing this scheme to an 'end.'

Venugopal highlighted that under the MGNREGA Act, if wages of the workers were delayed for more than 15 days, they should receive interest on the delayed payments.

He pointed out that many MNREGA workers in Kerala have not received their wages, and despite raising the issue, there was no clear response from the central government. Venugopal criticized the central government, accusing them of trying to end the MNREGA scheme.

'As per the provisions of the MNREGA Act, if the wages of the works have been delayed for more than 15 days, then there should be a provision of interest to be given to them. Unfortunately, MNREGA workers do not receive their salaries in all areas of Kerala. There is no concrete answer from the central minister on this. The central government is trying to finish this scheme,' KC Venugopal told ANI.

The second part of the Budget Session of the Parliament commenced on March 10 and will go till April 4. (ANI)