Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh (MP) Shivraj Singh Chouhan today began his indefinite fast in Bhopal and it will continue “until peace is restored” against the violation in the agitation by Madhya Pradesh (MP) farmers. The Chief Minister sat down on fast at the Dussehra Maidan in Bhopal at 11 am and he will also run his government from the venue.
CM has assured them of all help. He told farmers, “I will not sit in my office at Mantralaya. But I will do all work from here. Your labor won’t go waste”. He also added, “I know of the bumper crop production that has sent the prices crashing down in my state. I know your problems”.
He assured that the state government will give profitable prices to farmers. He is also believed to be considering waiving interest on farm loans, which can benefit over 6 lakh farmers at a cost of around two thousand crore rupees to the taxpayer. He said, “Once I was also a farmer, I understand your problem”.
Farmers’ protests started on 1st June in Mandsaur district of MP demanding better prices for their produce and debt relief, which turned violent on 6th June when 5 farmers were killed in police firing in Mandsaur district of MP. After that the violence was spilled over to several other districts of the MP, including in the Malwa-Nimad area and even reached the capital of the state. Angry farmers are blocking roads, vandalizing property and setting vehicles on fire.
Those farmers were angry at the lack of response by the state government and torched several vehicles before ring-fencing the local police station at Pipalia. They forced personnel to fire at the crowd. Bullet injuries killed five on the spot and the injured were taken to a nearby hospital. Angry farmers also blocked the Nasirabad Road and held up traffic for a few hours before being driven away by a large police force. Curfew declared in the district after the incident.
State Home Minister Bhupendra Singh said, “Some anti-social elements” were behind the violence and that police will take stern action against them”.
Now farmers’ families have to deal with the loss of a loved one and already they are under debt burden. Angry farmers want action against state police officers who shot at the farmers and they also added that the “Rs. 1 crore compensation promised by the MP government will not bring back their loved ones”.
Just before the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh next year, the issue has been grabbed by opposition parties. On Thursday, Congress Rahul Gandhi attempted to travel to Mandsaur to meet the families of those killed in the police firing. He has arrested also before he could reach anywhere near Mandsaur because of his silly mistake to break the government rules.
