New Delhi: leader Sharad Yadav today condemned alleged firing on farmers in Madhya Pradesh, which left at least two persons dead, and accused the BJP government of treating peasants as “enemies and terrorists”.
He said that the farmers in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have been demanding fair price and loan waiver for the last few days but state governments had remained unmoved.
“Instead of giving them solace, the government has attacked farmers agitating for genuine demands. Situation is that the Madhya Pradesh government has disconnected the cell phone and internet connections. It shows that the ruling party is treating farmers as enemy and terrorists which is regrettable,” the JD(U) leader said.
Five persons were killed today as the farmers’ agitation turned violent in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh, prompting the authorities to clamp curfew in the trouble-hit area.
Some eyewitnesses alleged that the victims suffered bullet wounds, but Mandsaur district authorities denied that police fired on the protesters, who were on a rampage.
Attacking the BJP, Yadav said before coming to power at the Centre the party had assured farmers that it will pay them 50 per cent more minimum support price (MSP) than the cost of production but the fact is that they continue to sell their produce at much less, even less than the MSP.
Suicide by farmers have increased sharply in the last three years especially in Maharashtra, he said, adding that it went up 41 per cent in 2015.
“At this moment of tragedy I can only advise the government to change its style of functioning and be careful for the welfare and interest of farmers as three years of its rule have been very depressing for them,” Yadav said.
The government should give remunerative prices to farmers for their produce, he said.
—PTI