Opposition 'pretending' to be worried, concerned over Mandsaur violence: Centre

Motihari (Bihar) [India], June 8 (ANI): In a veiled attack on the Congress Party over the recent Mandsaur violence, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Thursday said that the grand old party is just pretending to be worried and concerned over the same. "Those who are worried and concern about the farmers today, they must know that who is responsible for this," Singh told ANI. "The incident is unfortunate. The central government has implemented many schemes for benefit of farmers," he said. Earlier in the day, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was arrested in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch under Section 151 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) while trying to meet the kin of deceased family but later allowed to meet. Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan blamed the Congress Party for a "conspiracy to fuel violence" in Mandsaur. He said that he has ordered a judicial enquiry into the deaths of five farmers during the recent agitation. He also announced a compensation of Rs. 1 crore to the kin of those killed and Rs. 5 lakh for those injured in the violence. Several others were injured in the firing by security forces yesterday, as farmers intensified their agitation demanding fair price and loan waiver. Internet services in Mandsaur, Ratlam and Ujjain remain suspended following the farmers' protests, and a curfew has also reportedly been imposed. The farmers in the central state are demanding remunerative prices for their produce and a loan waiver. They are also demanding that they should be given Rs. 50 per litre of milk bought from them as they spend Rs. 37 per litre. The killing of the farmers came hours after Mandsaur collector Swatantra Kumar Singh claimed all was well in the district and that the situation was under control. (ANI)