The farmers’ protest in Madhya Pradesh, which began on June 1, took a violent turn on June 6, when five of them were killed in police firing at Mandsaur.
The farmers put up the protest, demanding for a complete loan waive off for the farmers and purchase of the crops at the higher minimum support prices MSP. The protest originally began in Madhya Pradesh, later spread to Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh lso.
The government of UP had agreed to the demands of the farmers, granting complete loan waiver. MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan who held fast for 28 hours to restore peace in MP, also agreed to the demand of purchase of crops at MPS and some decisions based on the Swaminathan Committee report. Government of Maharashtra also agreed ‘in principle’ to give a complete loan waiver to farmers.
However peace has been restored in MP, still The Patidar Andolan leader Hardik Patel accompanied by Janata Dal (U) leader Akhilesh Katiyar, were arrested on 13 June, in Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh when they were heading to Mandsaur to meet the families of farmers killed in police firing last week.
City Superintendent of Police Abhishek Diwan said that Patel was arrested from Nayagaon in Neemuch to prevent the commission of cognisable offences. The two were later released on bail and transported out of Madhya Pradesh in police vehicles, Diwan said.
On the arrest, Patel demonstrated his anger saying that, he was not a terrorist and did not come from Lahore. He was an Indian citizen and had the right to go anywhere in the country. He also criticised the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and said that 50 crore farmers have come together against the saffron party.
Earlier, on 8 June, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi was also arrested on his way to Mandsaur to express solidarity with distressed farmers and meet the kin of those killed in police firing during the protest.