'Strangulated, Hands Will be Broken': Amid Protests, BJP MP's Threat to Those Recovering Farm Loans

Amid a political slugfest over the plight of farmers in Madhya Pradesh, BJP MP Janardhan Mishra, in a scathing attack on the Congress government on Monday said that policemen who arrive to recover loans from farmers will be “strangulated and their heads will be broken”.

The Congress in Madhya Pradesh has been under fire from the BJP for not fully delivering on its loan waiver promise, an issue that apparently cost the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls in the state where it won only one out of the 29 seats.

According to a report by the news agency ANI, the Rewa MP, who was speaking at the party’s “Kishan Aakrosh Aandolan”, accused the government of working against the interests of farmers and of engaging in “divisive and destructive” politics.

"If anyone from Congress or police come to farmers with a motive to take revenge, their hands will be broken and they will be strangulated to death,” Mishra was quoted as saying. He promised that the BJP is standing with the farmers in their fight against the government.

Multiple protests by leaders and workers of the ruling as well as opposition camps were witnessed across the state on Monday over flood relief and plight of farmers.

The Congress workers protested against the Centre’s ‘step-motherly treatment’ over flood relief and for not granting adequate funds to the state to deal with the massive damage caused by the recent deluge. They even urged BJP leaders to stage a dharna in New Delhi against their own government at the Centre to make the latter release funds for the state.

BJP leaders accused the Kamal Nath-led government in the state of not doing anything for flood-hit farmers and instead shifting the blame on the Centre. They also agitated against alleged inflated bills being handed to electricity consumers in the state.

In Bhopal, Leader of Opposition in MP assembly Gopal Bhargav led a protest close to the Collectorate while senior Congress leader Suresh Pachauri addressed a rally in another part of the city.

“It’s an anti-farmer government, as it did not waive farm loans, did not halve electricity bills and no relief has been offered to flood-hit farmers,” said a BJP leader.