Madhya Pradesh government has constituted a one-member committee of retired HC judge JK Jain for enquiry of death of five farmers in firing in Mandsaur.
Earlier, the chief minister, clad in a kurta-pyjama and a Nehru jacket, with wife Sadhana on his side, commenced his indefinite fast around 11 am at a "pandal" erected in the BHEL Dusshera Maidan after former chief minister Kailash Joshi put a "tilak" on his forehead.
He said that representatives of seven organisations - the Aam Kisan Union, Bharatiya Kisan Union, the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangh, the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Mahasangh, Kisan Seva Sangathan, Kisan Sena (Vidisha) and the Kisan Jagriti Manch - were participating in the protest and on Sunday, farmers from across the state would come to join them. "Farmers' stir is the result of the failure of Chouhan, the state bureaucracy and the police", he alleged. The Opposition party, however, dismissed the charge and dubbed Chouhan's fast as "nautanki".
However, farmers' association said that at least eight protesters were killed when the police opened fire at them. Now, that peace seems to have returned in the state, he has ended his fast. Six farmers had died in the firing.
"I have always tried doing a lot for farmers, and their problem is ours".
The editorial said the farmers' struggles in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh had "punctured in a spectacular fashion the tall claims made by the Modi government about the transformation of agriculture and empowerment of farmers". "Hence, it's an appeal by everyone (to Chouhan) to end the fast", Bhupendra Singh said.
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He also said that the chief minister met farmers' leaders on June 4 and assured that their problems will be resolved. Madhya Pradesh home minister Bhupendra Singh said, "Everyone is concerned about the chief minister's health".
The delegations pressed for loan waiver and "satisfactory" prices for their produce.
"He should remember that (demon king) Ravana is burnt at the Dussehra Maidan every year", the Congress leader said.
The farmers' agitation was marred by violence on June 6 when they pelted stones at the police.
"We are not going there for any protest or demonstration, we just wanted to meet the deceased farmers' family", she said.
The district was on the boil after five people were killed in police firing during protests on Tuesday by farmers who are seeking loan waiver and higher prices for the farm produce among other things. Later, protests spread to some other parts of the State. "Rahul Gandhi has the right as citizen of India to visit Madhya Pradesh and to express his solidarity with suffering farmers and those families who lost their loved ones", he added.
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