CM Shivraj Spends Night in Mandsaur, Meets Farmers’ Leaders Ahead of Stir

Mandsaur: Days before the much-hyped, 10-days long farmers’ agitation that is set to begin on June 1, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan spent a night in Mandsaur, once again the epicenter of farmers’ unrest, and listened to the demands of farmers and their leaders.

Farmers, who have threatened to stop food supplies to mark the Mandsaur firing anniversary on June 6, turned up in large numbers to meet the CM and hand him letters containing their demands. Chouhan spoke to them and assured them that their demands will be met.

Last year, six farmers had lost their lives in police firing during a farmers’ agitation on June 6 in Mandsaur, launching widespread protests across Madhya Pradesh, which is all set to go to polls later this year.

Those who met the Chief Minister on Wednesday included leaders of Bharatiya Kisan Union, who will be participating in the proposed farmers’ stir.

Addressing a convention of tendu leaves’ collectors in Mandsaur on Wednesday, CM Chouhan accused Congress of turning the peaceful Madhya Pradesh into a centre of discord. Congress wishes for bloodshed, alleged the CM.

He deputed a man with a cotton bag to go around collecting applications and letters of grievances from the farmers for speedy redressal.

Urging the public to not be misled by the Congress, the CM claimed that no government has done so much as his government has done for farmers.

Shutting up critics who flayed the visit as a desperate attempt to placate farmers ahead of the proposed agitation, Chouhan claimed that he wasn’t just visiting Mandsaur, but also Damoh, Khandwa and other places in the district.

CM Shivraj also held discussions with Mandsaur Collector and Superintendent of Police and issued instructions for maintaining law and order in the wake of proposed stir.

Earlier, CM Chouhan had met bankers in Bhopal instructing them to ensure timely payments to farmers after procurement of their crops by state government.

In accordance with his announcement of crop incentive, Chouhan asked the bankers to keep sufficient cash flow.