MP CM Shivraj Chouhan meets kin of farmers killed in Mandsaur protests

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met families of farmers killed during protests in Mandsaur last week and promised them Wednesday that their loans would be waived.

Following the unfortunate event during which the state police opened fire on farmers demanding loan waivers, the chief minister had sat on a one-day fast in solidarity with families and announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore each to the kin.

There is some angst in the BJP top brass on the way Chouhan handled the agitation. Some feel the hunger strike had little impact as farmers continued to protest after the compensation was announced. Farmers were not happy with the curfew imposed in the area.

Ahead of Chouhan's visit to the families, the curfew was relaxed.

Before ending his fast, Chouhan had said: "The state will make available to farmers the correct and timely information about climate change. I, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi promise that we will irrigate every land. We have decided to implement every policy with the consent of farmers."

Chouhan had said farmer concerns were the topmost in his mind -- "kisaan khwaabon mein bhi thhe, haqeeqat mein bhi." (The farmers and their issues were in my dreams and reality.)

"I have always tried doing a lot for farmers, and their problem is ours. They are our own. I also thought upon how to increase the productivity and sustain it," he added.

Chouhan also said families of the deceased met him and asked him to discontinue the fast.

Mandsaur became the epicenter of a farmers' agitation over a demand for loan waivers and better prices for their produce.

During the agitation, six farmers were gunned down by the police, thereby drawing criticism from political parties.

The situation forced the district officials to impose Section 144, and restricted prominent personalities from visiting the violence-hit district.

Several political leaders, including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, and social activists tried to visit Mandsaur but the police didn't let them enter the area.

The curfew has been lifted from Mandsaur, but prohibitory orders remain.

Meanwhile, the state government has issued a notification for the judicial probe of the Mandsaur violence. Retired Justice JK Jain will head the one member judicial commission.

The single member commission will probe under what circumstances the farmers were killed in the agitation.

The commission will also probe the action taken by the administration and police to control the situation was appropriate or not.