Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday ended his indefinite fast announcing slew of measures to benefit farmers but did not mention farm loan waiver, a prominent farmers’ demand on which the peasants agitated for ten days on the streets of the central Indian state.
“Farmers’ land won’t be acquired without their consent and schemes related to them would be devised in consultation with them,” he said. “I am a servant of farmers and would continue to serve them.”
However, the most contentious issue, farm loan waiver, did not find any mention in the speech.
Soon after, former chief minister Kailash Joshi offered Chouhan coconut water to end his fast.
Bharatiya Kisan Sangh leader Anil Yadav, who was also on the stage, announced the withdrawal of strike and thanked CM Chouhan for accepting their demands. He also claimed that BKS won’t take part in stir proposed in New Delhi.
Interestingly, BKS officebearers after meeting with the CM in Ujjain had distanced themselves from the farmers’ stir on June 2, seond day of the ten-day agitation in Madhya Pradesh, announced by Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangh and others.
Rau MLA Jitu Patwari, who was instrumental in anchoring farmers’ agitation in Malwa region, on Sunday accepted before newsmen that he was actively supporting the agitation but did not ‘led’ the agitation which was anchored by young farmers.
He blamed state government’s act of deflating the agitation through BKS call of ending strike which according to him spurred violence especially after Mandsaur incident.
He also pulled up CM Shivraj and Home minister Bhupendra Singh for contradictory statements after Mandsaur firing. “The state government purportedly circulated videos of me and other Congress leaders and twisted facts,” Patwari, who had accompanied Congress vice president on bike till Neemuch, said.
“I would start a state-wide kisan padyatra shortly for farmers’ awakening if farmers’ demands are not met soon,” Patwari announced.
Comments
0 comment