Wrong info being spread about Rahul's participating in farmers' agitation: Congress

Clearing the air, the Congress Party said on Wednesday that the Mandsaur District administration has denied party vice-president Rahul Gandhi permission to visit the area to attend the funeral of dead farmers.

Congress general secretary Mohan Prakash said Gandhi won't participate in the agitation.

"Rahul Gandhi wanted to visit the deceased farmers' village to take part in funeral but administration did not permit him," Prakash told ANI.

"But Rahul Gandhi can reach there any moment. Wrong information is being spread that he would participate in farmers' agitation," he added.

Meanwhile, the farmers' agitation in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district has further intensified with protestors setting at least eight to ten vehicles on fire.

Demanding the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the protesting farmers, earlier in the day got into a scuffle with the Collector and Superintendent of Police of Mandsaur district over them delaying their visit to the area.

Farmers have hit the streets protesting over their demands for remunerative prices for their produce and a farm loan waiver not being met.

This unfortunately took an ugly turn yesterday when five farmers were killed and eight others were injured in two separate incidents of firing in Mandsaur.

The protestors alleged that police fired at them. A judicial probe has been ordered in the matter.

Internet services in Mandsaur, Ratlam, Neemuch and Ujjain were also suspended following the farmers' protests, and a curfew was reportedly imposed.

Apart from the loan waiver, the farmers are also demanding that they should be given Rs. 50 per litre of milk bought from them as they spend Rs. 37 per litre.

Chief Minister Chouhan earlier in the day apprised Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah of the situation in Mandsaur over the phone.