Janjivan Bureau / Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan sat on an indefinite fast at Dussehra Maidan here today for “restoration of peace” amid a farmers’ agitation in the state. The opposition Congress dubbed it as “drama” and said this is not a Upvas, it is Upahas of Kisan
Chouhan, clad in kurta-pajama and a Nehru jacket, sat on fast at a pandal erected at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited’s Dussehra Maiden here at around 11 am after former chief minister Kailash Joshi put a ’tilak’ on his forehead.
He has assured them of all help. “I won’t sit in my office at Mantralaya (secretariat). But I will do all work from here,” he said. “Your labour won’t go waste,” he told farmers and added, “I know of the bumper crop production that has sent the prices crashing down in the state. I know your (farmers) problems,” he said.
He assured that the state government will buy their farm produce and give profitable prices to farmers. He is also believed to be considering waiving interest on farm loans, which could benefit over six lakh farmers at a cost of around 2,000 crore to the taxpayer. He made an emotional appeal to farmers, saying he has been a farmer and understands their problems.
Farmers’ protests started last week in Mandsaur over demand for better prices for their produce and debt relief. The protesting farmers blocked roads, vandalised property and set vehicles on fire on Tuesday. The police opened fire to control the situation.
The situation escalated when five farmers died on the spot and another farmer, who was allegedly detained by police died yesterday at a hospital. Those instigating violence would not be spared, Mr Chouhan said.
However, the opposition has called it a “drama” and criticized his “hypocrisy”.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajay Singh told “While the farmers in the state are on the roads with their demands, the Chief Minister has got down to this nautanki (drama). He will now spend crores of rupees in this Kejriwal-like drama.”
“The truth is that Chouhan is trying to divert the public’s attention from the core issue and is hence using all these cheap tricks,” added the Congress leader.
Farmers’ families who are already under debt burden, now have to deal with the loss of a loved one. Angry farmers want action against police officers who shot at the farmers and added that the “Rs. 1 crore compensation promised by the government won’t bring back their loved ones”.
Ahead of the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh next year, the issue has been grabbed by opposition parties. On Thursday, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi attempted to travel to Mandsaur to meet the families of those killed in police firing. He switched from a car to two bikes and walked too, but was arrested before he could reach anywhere near Mandsaur.
More than 1,600 farmers killed themselves in Madhya Pradesh in 2016, according to official figures. Between 2011 and 2015, according to the National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 6076 farmers had committed suicide in the state.
In April, the new Uttar Pradesh government of Yogi Adityanath decided to waive farm loans. Other states and farmers’ organisations have been demanding a similar waiver.
“The state government has taken many important decisions in the past years. We have made provisions for the farmers to get loans at zero interest rates and even to deposit Rs 90,000 over a loan of Rs one lakh for fertilisers and seeds,” Chouhan said during his fast at BHEL’s Dussehra Maidan in Bhopal.
Farmers’ organisations, which have been agitating for better support prices for farm produce, loan waiver and other demands, have already said that the stir would end on the tenth day today.
State Congress’ chief spokesperson K K Mishra said Chouhan should tell people whether his so-called fast is a “nautanki” (drama), an event or an act of repentance for his misdeeds that “set the state on fire”.
“Though he is trying to send a message that he is doing Gandhi-giri (using a Gandhian way), it is absolutely not so.
He neither sat at the foot of the statue of Gandhi nor did he garland the statue before launching his ‘nautanki’,” Mishra said.
“He should remember that (demon king) Ravana is burnt every year at the Dussehra Maidan,” the Congress leader said.
