MP farmers begin 10-day strike as part of nationwide protest

Farmers in Madhya Pradesh today launched a 10-day-long agitation as part of a nationwide strike to press for their demands, including waiver of loans and the right price for crops.

Although the agitation has not affected normal life in the state so far, it is likely to hit the supply of essential items like milk and vegetables in the days to come.

Talking to reporters in Bhopal, Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh (RKMM) convenor Shivkumar Sharma announced that the farmers' agitation across 22 states, including Madhya Pradesh, has begun.

"The farmers' bodies have named the agitation as 'Gaon Bandh' (village blockade). The cultivators have been asked not to come to the markets in urban areas to sell their farm produce, including milk," he added.

On the last day of the protest on June 10, the farmers' bodies will orgainse 'Bharat Bandh', he said adding that the RKMM is one of the organisations involved in the agitation.

Mandsaur Superintendent of Police (SP) Manoj Kumar Singh told PTI over phone that so far there is no shortage of vegetables and milk in the district as all the markets are open.

The police have kept a close vigil in Mandsaur, where six farmers were killed in police firing during the farmers' agitation on June 6 last year.

Neemuch, the adjoining district of Mandsaur, also has not witnessed any shortage of vegetables and milk although the markets are shut there.

However, no farmer came to the grain market in Neemuch to sell his produce.

The Mandsaur SP said no untoward incident has been reported in the district so far.

"Five companies of the Special Armed Force (SAF) of MP police are keeping a vigil across the district," he said.