MANDSAUR: Farmers intensify protest, set several vehicles on fire despite CM’s appeal for peace
BHOPAL : Agitating farmers in Mandsaur on Wednesday intensified their ongoing protest a day after five persons were killed in police firing. According to News Agency ANI, at least 8-10 vehicles were set ton fire by the protestors despite several appeals for peace by MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and BJP leaders including Venkaiah Naidu.
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday described Madhya Pradesh as ”an island of peace” in the wake of violent protests over killing of five farmers in police firing in the Mandsaur district yesterday. The minister, while appealing to protesters to call off their stir, also asked the main opposition party Congress not to politicise the issue unnecessarily.
Madhya Pradesh is an island of peace. I tell Congress don’t politicise, don’t fuel violence in the name of farmers, Venkaiah Naidu said, according to ANI.Meanwhile, Congress today alleged that its vice president Rahul Gandhi was denied permission to visit the Mandsaur village to attend the funeral of the deceased farmers.
Congress General Secretary Mohan Prakash said that Rahul Gandhi wanted to visit deceased farmers’ village to take part in funeral but administration didn’t allow him. However, Rahul would be reaching there any moment, he said adding, wrong information is being spread that he would participate in farmers’ agitation.
Ahead of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Mandsaur, a minor scuffle broke out between the protesting farmers and the local police, a day after five persons were killed in police firing.The agitating farmers were protesting against the delayed visit of Mandsaur collector and SP to the area after what several political leaders termed as ”unfortunate” incident.
They also demanded the presence of state’s Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to Mandsaur. The scuffle broke out as Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is most likely to visit Mandsaur today to meet the kin of the deceased farmers during his day-long visMandsaur collector Swatantra K Singh today informed that there was no order to open fire on protesters. I have assured them (farmers) a strict action, he added.
Five farmers were killed and several others were injured on Tuesday in Mandsaur as police opened fire on peasants, who indulged in violence and stone-pelting.Meanwhile, Shivraj Singh Chouhan had apprised BJP president Amit Shah of the situation in Mandsaur over the phone.Condemning the incident, Chouhan had yesterday announced a compensation of Rs one crore for kin of those killed during protest and accused the opposition party for instigating the violence.
The MP Chief Minister also ordered a judicial probe into the incident even as Mandsaur city and Piplya Mandi area were put under curfew after the violence.Five killed as farmers’ agitation intensifies in MP’s Mandsaur, mobile internet suspended; Rs 1 cr compensation announced
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