Scindia, Hardik to meet families of Mandsaur victims today

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and firebrand Patidar leader Hardik Patel will visit Mandsaur on Tuesday to meet the families of six farmers who were killed in police firing at Pipliyamandi on June 6.

Their arrival is expected to rankle the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government that has been on the backfoot over the incident.

Scindia and Patel will enter Madhya Pradesh through different routes.

Scindia’s visit will the second high-profile visit by a Congress leader after the killings. AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi had attempted to enter Mandsaur on June 8 but he was stopped as the curfew was on.

As of now, only prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC are in place. Scindia will be going by road and will pass through Ujjain, Nagda and Jaora to reach Mandsaur.

Scindia, who reached Indore on Monday evening, first visited MY Hospital to meet all those injured in the firing and lathicharge during the 10-day agitation in Mandsaur.

Addressing the media, Scindia said the firing in Mandsaur was a ‘blot’ on the state government.

He said he met the injured and their narration of how they were shot horrified him.

“In the land of Gandhi, farmers were shot in their head and stomach with an intention to kill them. Their bodies were dragged and money and mobiles taken away,” Scindia alleged.

Criticising the chief minister’s fast, Scindia said it was a farce.

Meanwhile, talking to HT over phone, Hardik said he will be entering the state through Nayagaon in the adjoining Neemuch district, which borders Rajasthan.