Ahead of CM Chouhan's visit, section 144 revoked from Mandsaur

Ahead of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's visit to the families of the deceased farmers in Mandsaur today, section 144 has been revoked from the violence-hit region.

Mandsaur became the epicentre of a farmers' agitation over a demand for loan waivers and better prices for their produce.

During the agitation, six farmers were gunned down by the police, thereby drawing criticism from political parties. The situation forced the district officials to impose Section 144 and restricted prominent personalities from visiting the violence-hit district.

A number of political leaders, including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, and social activists tried to visit Mandsaur but the police didn't let them enter the area.

The curfew was lifted from Mandsaur, but prohibitory orders remained.

Earlier on Sunday, Chouhan, who started an indefinite fast in June, ended his fast by consuming coconut water.

"We will make the state land use advisory service so that farmers get correct and timely information about climate change. I, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi promise that we will irrigate every land. We have decided to implement every policy with the consent of farmers," he said before ending the fast.

He further said not only in India but in the entire world, Madhya Pradesh stands at number one position in the agriculture sector.

While speaking to ANI, Chouhan said that despite falling asleep "intermittently", the farmers and their issues made a constant thorough in his dreams and thoughts and hence, vowed to solve the pertinent matters.

"I slept intermittently and all that while I kept thinking about what all topics - out of the ones we discussed with the farmers - can be worked upon as soon as possible," he said, adding, "kisaan khwaabon mein bhi thhe, haqeeqat mein bhi." (The farmers and their issues were in my thoughts and dreams.)

"I have always tried doing a lot for farmers, and their problem is ours. They are our own. I also thought upon how to increase the productivity and sustain it," he added.

Chouhan also entailed how the families of the deceased met him and asked him to discontinue the fast.

"One thing that made me emotional was the number of our children that we lost in these protests. Their parents came to meet me yesterday and despite such grief befalling upon them, asked me to put an end to the issue," he said.

Commenting about the amenities provided to him in the tent he has made a stay in for the fasting period, he said, "I was told that this was a five-star tent. They even asked me to put an AC, but I said that wasn't required. You don't go on a fast for the farmers by living in AC. We made a meeting room because I had to meet officials and farmers."

Meanwhile, the state government has issued a notification for the judicial probe of the Mandsaur violence. Retired Justice J. K. Jain will head the one-member judicial commission.

The single member commission will probe under what circumstances the farmers were killed in the agitation.

The commission will also probe the action taken by the administration and police to control the situation was appropriate or not.

-ANI