Rahul to hold rally on farmers' death anniversary in Mandsaur in June

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will visit Piplya Mandi village near Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh on June 6, the first death anniversary of six farmers who were killed in police firing during a protest there last year.

During his visit, Gandhi is will hold a condolence meeting-cum-rally, the Congress said today.

The party, however, alleged that the district administration has given permission to the event by imposing 19 different conditions, one of which asks Gandhi not to make a "provocative" speech.

The opposition party alleged that the BJP-led government in Madhya Pradesh wanted to disturb Gandhi's event through such conditions.

When asked, the district administration, however, said it was in the process of "amending" its previous order (in which the conditions were set).

The event is being seen as the launch of Congress's poll campaign in the state, which will witness the Assembly polls later this year.

"Rahulji is coming here to condole the deaths of six farmers at Pipliya Mandi, the epicentre of last year's farmers unrest," MP Congress chief spokesperson Manak Agrawal said.

One lakh people are expected to take part in the meeting, he added.

Sharing a copy of the district administration's permission letter, Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said, "The district administration has given its nod to the event with certain conditions like the maximum size of the tent spread for the rally can't be more than 15X15 feet, no loudspeakers above 10 decibel limit."
MP Congress chief Kamal Nath in a tweet said, "The Shivraj Singh government, which did not allow Rahul ji to enter Mandsaur following the farmers' killing, again wants to wants to disturb Rahul ji's meeting of June 6 and muzzle the voice of farmers by laying the conditions."
When contacted, District Collector O P Shrivastava said, "We are amending the previous order related to the Congress event. Under the revised order, they can use the site as per their needs."