Those behind Mandsaur firing will be punished, says Kamal Nath

On the second anniversary of the Mandsaur police firing, in which six farmers were killed, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath Thursday said those behind the "barbarous" incident will be punished and asserted that all false cases against cultivators will be withdrawn.

Nath, whose government announced a mega farm loan waiver after assuming office in December last year, paid tributes to the cultivators who were killed when the police opened fire during an agitation in Mandsaur on June 6, 2017.

The BJP was then in power in the state.

In a tweet, Nath said, "Today is the second anniversary of Mandsaur firing. Tribute to six farmers killed in this barbarous firing.

"Our government is determined to punish the accused of this firing, to give justice to the victims and to withdraw the false cases registered against the innocent farmers (during protests).

The firing on the agitating farmers in Mandsaur, the epicentre of agrarian protests in the state, was a key poll issue for the Congress during last years assembly elections.

The farmers were protesting in support of their demands, which included better price for their produce.

On the first anniversary of the firing last year, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had launched his party's campaign for the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls from Mandsaur.

Speaking at a rally, he had announced a "farm loan waiver" within ten days of his party coming to power in the state.

In the November 2018 assembly polls, the Congress wrested power from the BJP in Madhya Pradesh after a gap of 15 years.

The state BJP, however, said the Congress government has been talking of withdrawing cases against farmers since the past six months, but has not initiated any real action.

"Nath should not try to hide his failure on farm loan waiver, bonus to farmers, power and water supply by talking about the Mandsaur incident.

"His government is only talking about withdrawing the cases but it has not taken any action in this regard," said Rahul Kothari, a state BJP spokesman.