Mandsaur issue: Protests spread to new areas of Madhya Pradesh; Rahul Gandhi meets farmers, BJP terms it as 'photo opportunity yatra'

Farmer protests on Thursday spilled over to new areas of Madhya Pradesh.

Mandsaur: Protests by farmers on Thursday spilled over to new areas of Madhya Pradesh with the epicentre of the agitation, Mandsaur, remaining relatively peaceful, even as Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was arrested when he entered the state to meet farmers.

While curfew continued in Mandsaur, except for a two-hour relaxation, incidents of arson were reported from Shajapur and Dhar districts in western part of the state on the eighth day of the agitation for loan waiver and better crop price.

While a truck and two motorbikes were torched by protesters on the Mumbai-Agra highway (NH-3) in Shajapur district, stones were hurled at police personnel in Shajapur town, which witnessed the farmers' unrest for the first time.

Police fired teargas and lathicharged a stone-pelting mob near the local market in Shajapur. Following the incident, prohibitory orders were imposed in Shajapur town under Section 144 of the CrPC.

The agitation also spread to Chhindwara district in Mahakoshal region of the state.

In Mandsaur district where five farmers were killed in police firing on Tuesday, Rapid Action Force (RAF), the anti- riot paramilitary force rushed by the Centre, was deployed this morning.

The Centre had rushed 1,100 personnel of the RAF to the violence-hit state yesterday.

While two companies of the RAF, each comprising 100 personnel, were deployed in Pipliamandi in Mandsaur, where the five farmers were killed, another two were posted in Garoth.

Two RAF companies were deployed along the highway.

Contingents of the CRPF have also been deployed.

At least 56 people have been arrested and over 100 detained in connection with violence during the farmers agitation here, police said, as per PTI.

A two-hour relaxation in curfew from 4 pm in four police station areas of Mandsaur city and Pipliamandi in the district passed off peacefully, Collector OP Srivastava said, adding it can be eased further tomorrow.

Amid the simmering tension, the government transferred the District Magistrates of Mandsaur, Ratlam and Neemuch. Mandsaur Police Superintendent was also shunted out.

Meanwhile, Gandhi's attempt to meet the families of the farmers killed raised political temperature in Madhya Pradesh and beyond.

Gandhi was not allowed to visit Mandsaur and was arrested with 29 other leaders including Janata Dal-United's Sharad Yadav when they entered Madhya Pradesh. All of them were released on personal bonds. 

Gandhi then met some farmers and expressed solidarity with them and lashed out at the Modi government.

"PM Narendra Modi waived off loans worth Rs 150,000 crore for the richest people in India," he said. "But they can't pay the right price to farmers for their produce, they can't give compensation. They can give only bullets," he said.

Asked who was responsible for the killing of the five farmers, Gandhi said, "Prime Minister and (Madhya Pradesh) Chief Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan)," as per IANS. 

ready for talks, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Gandhi entered Madhya Pradesh by car from Rajasthan and switched over to a bike in a bid to reach Mandsaur after seeing police deployment. But he could not go too far.

Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh as well as Yadav were also stopped from meeting the families of the dead farmers.

Rahul's Mandsaur visit is 'photo opportunity' yatra, says BJP

On the other hand, BJP termed Gandhi's visit to Mandsaur as a "photo opportunity" and accused the Opposition party of "fuelling violence" in the farmers' protests.

"It is unfortunate that the Congress is politicising the issue. It is instigating, fuelling violence. Its vice president now wants to visit the place as part of his photo opportunity yatra which he undertakes on a regular basis," BJP leader and Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said.

The Information and Broadcasting Minister also dismissed the Congress' demand that Madhya Pradesh CM should step down from his post in view of the deaths of five protesting farmers in police firing.

Recalling that on January 12, 1998, 24 farmers had died in police firing in the state's Betul district when Congress leader Digvijay Singh was the CM, he said, "he never resigned."

Briefing reporters at the BJP headquarters, party spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao accused state Congress leaders of fanning violence after the government reached an agreement with the protesting farmers, agreeing to their demands.

Out of power in the state for 14 years, the Congress was looking at violence to resurrect its fortunes, he said.

"The Congress' hand is with anarchy and violence. The BJP will expose its evil designs to wreak violence for resurrecting its flagging fortunes. We strongly condemn the Congress for first provoking violence and then to exploit a human tragedy. All Congress leaders responsible for provoking violence have been identified. They are being charged with under various sections of the IPC and will face the wrath of the law for their unlawful actions," Rao said.

What Gandhi is doing is nothing but political drama, he said, adding that he goes wherever he sees TV cameras.

(With Agency inputs)