NEW DELHI: A delegation of farmers’ organisations are likely to hold meetings with farmers in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, where five famers were killed in police firing.
The group consisting of members of over a dozen farmers’ organisations also extended support to the farmers of Madhya Pradesh who are agitating for their “legitimate demand that the BJP-led central government and state government should fulfill all promises made by them in their central manifesto of 2014.” The delegation is likely to visit the town on June 11-12.
VM Singh of Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, Dr Sunilam of Madhya Pradesh Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Yogendra Yadav of Jai Kisan Andolan, Avik Saha of Jai Kisan Andolan, K. Balakrishnan of Swaraj Abhiyan and Somnath Tripathi of Swaraj Abhiyan are also part of the delegation. This initiative is also supported by Paschim Odisha Krishak Sangathan Samanvay Samiti, Narmada Bachan Andolan, Kisan Sangharsh Morcha, Rayathu Swarajya Vedike, and Samajwadi Samagam. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan started a fast on Saturday to resolve the farmers’ crisis.
Slamming the fast, Congress said that ‘inaction’ of the state government forced the farmers to sell their crop below minimum support price to the middlemen.
Terming the indefinite fast a “pretence”, Congress party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked Chouhan to prepare for his “political exile”.
Speaking to reporters in national capital, Surjewala said,”Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s fast is a drama...it is a sham, he should answer why a case of murder has not been filed in the death of five farmers in Madhya Pradesh.”
“This fast is nothing but a pretence. The Congress is with farmers in their fight for their rights,” Surjewala said while alleging that farmers are selling potatoes and onions at throwaway prices in the state. He also blamed BJP for making “false promises” over providing better prices to farmers for their produce.