Several incidents of violence were reported on Wednesday during a 12-hour bandh called by farmers’ bodies in protest against the killing of five farmers in Tuesday’s police firing in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh.
A senior officer was manhandled and chased on Wednesday morning by an angry crowd protesting on the highway in Mandsaur a day after five farmers were killed in clashes with the police.
A curfew was in force and mobile internet was cut off in the region after the violence during protests by farmers demanding higher prices for crop and loan waivers.
A former parliamentarian from Mandsaur, Meenakshi Natarajan of the Congress, was detained when she was on her way to meet the family members of the farmers who were killed. Top Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, may meet the protesters on Thursday.
Taking on the Chief Minister, Congress leader Ajay Singh said: “All the claims of the chief minister have proved false so far. Now the government is using bullets to suppress farmers’ voice. Chouhan should resign immediately.”
A lack of irrigation facilities and years of erratic monsoon rain have led to a crisis for farmers, with many suicides reported over crop failures and debt. Madhya Pradesh is one of several states that have suffered disappointing rains and crop failures in recent years.
The Congress Party on Wednesday demanded Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s resignation over the Mandsaur incident.
At least six persons were killed as the farmers’ agitation turned violent in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh, prompting the authorities to clamp curfew in the trouble-hit area.
Some eyewitnesses alleged that the victims suffered bullet wounds, but Mandsaur district authorities denied that police fired on the protesters, who were on a rampage.
Congress leader Kamal Nath said the government was bidding over the farmers’ dead body.
“I demand proper investigation into Mandsaur incident. They are bidding over the dead bodies. It is very shameful. They are talking about Rs. five lakh, 10 lakh, one crore. Shivraj Singh Chouhan must resign. At the end it is his responsibility and it would be unjustified if it is shifted on any police officer,” Nath said.
However, expressing concern, the Centre warned the Congress Party not to fuel violence and instigate the farmers.
