Mandsaur violence: MP CM to observe indefinite fast, talk to agitating farmers

Bhopal [Madhya Pradesh) [India] June 9 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will go on an indefinite fast from Saturday in an attempt to restore peace in the state, that is on the boil after six farmers were killed in police firing in Mandsaur. The Chief Minister would also be leaving the Vallabh Bhawan (Secretariat) and go to open grounds in order to speak with the agitating farmers. Addressing a press conference here today, the Chief Minister said, "I am not emotionless and therefore, I will sit at BHEL's Dussehra ground tomorrow at 11 a.m. I appeal to the farmers to come forward and discuss all the issues." Maintaining that the government would be dealing with the miscreants with an iron fist, Chauhan said his fast is an attempt to ensure peace is restored in the state. Meanwhile, a curfew has been imposed in Mandsaur but the unrest has spread into adjoining district of Neemuch. The farmers are demanding better prices for their produce and waiver of loans. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led state government is in a soup after the Mandsaur incident. Chaos ensued when Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi tried to reach Mandsaur on Thursday. He was detained and later released. Meanwhile, a video has also surfaced wherein a Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh has caught on camera purportedly inciting party workers and farmers to burn down a police station. Congress' Shivpuri MLA Shakuntala Khatik is seen in the video repeatedly inciting the party workers and farmers accompanying her to burn down the nearby police station. As Khatik repeatedly incites the mob, a police official is seen requesting the MLA to calm down. The video is going to further cement the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) allegation that the "Congress is instigating the farmers for political gains". (ANI)