Firing on farmers: Congress wants guilty officials booked

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday demanded filing of a criminal case against the officers who ordered the “killing of farmers” in Madhya Pradesh during the peasants’ agitation on June 6.
The party said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre was anti-farmer and that they wanted to have a “kisan-mukt bharat” (India without farmers).
“We demand that a criminal case be lodged against those officers who ordered firing in Mandsaur that led to the killing of six farmers. Prompt action must be taken against them so that the farmers’ families get justice,” Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia told media persons here.
Scindia also said it was the responsibility of the central government to waive off the loans of farmers, adding that the Congress’ campaign for the sake of rights of farmers would continue.
“If the government can waive off loans worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore of corporate houses, then why not Rs 5.3-lakh crore loans of the farmers?” said Scindia. The farmers’ agitation turned violent on June 6 in Mandsaur after a mob pelted stones at police. In retaliation, police opened fire in which five farmers were killed and one later succumbed to injuries.
“One will be surprised to see the key points of the inquiry commission set up by the Madhya Pradesh government. There is no mention of the point that the persons who fired at the farmers must be held responsible. People involved in firing are on the run,” Scindia added.
He also said that 13 farmers had committed suicide in the past 10 days and they were “between 17 and 35 years of age”. “They were the sole bread winners of their families. Out of these, four farmers were from Chief Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan)’s constituency.”
Scindia alleged that the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government also indulged in a “bidding game” on the compensation amount to be given to the farmers’ families. “They first said, they would give Rs 1 lakh, then they went up to Rs 5 lakh and then to Rs 10 lakh. Finally, they said they will give Rs 1 crore each to the families of the killed farmers. (IANS)