Scindia says stigma of killing farmers is on Chouhan

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday questioned Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's intention to tackle the ongoing farmer unrest in the state. He said the stigma of the death of six farmers due to police firing lies at Chouhan's doorstep.

Taking swipe at Chouhan, who recently called off his indefinite fast, Scindia said, "It is one of the worst days. Farmers were killed by the security forces. But what does this government do? It undergoes a fast. If the government indulges in this act, then what will people do? What kind of expectations will they have of this government?"

Scindia is on three-day satyagraha in the memory of deceased Mandsaur farmers and it entered the second day on Thursday.

Scindia also criticised Shivraj Singh Chouhan government for failing to take action against the responsible people, who shot six farmers during protest.

"What was their fault? They were protesting to present their demands before the government. The stigma of killing of six farmers is on Shivraj Singh Chouhan and no one else," he said.

Scindia yesterday launched the protest at around 3.30 p.m. at T T Nagar's Dussehra Maidan. The photos of the six farmers killed in Mandsaur district earlier this month are also displayed on the stage.

On June 1, the farmers' began their protest, over various demands, including loan waiver and better prices for their produce. However, on June 6, it took a violent turn when five of them were allegedly killed in police firing at Mandsaur. One later succumbed to injuries.

Chouhan on Wednesday visited Mandasaur on met with the families of the killed farmers. He gave Rs. one crore cheques to the kin of each killed farmer.

The State Government has issued a notification for the judicial probe of the violence. Retired Justice J.K. 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 the police to control the situation was appropriate or not.