To check farmers’ stir, MP govt curbs social media use

BHOPAL: Wary of farmers using social media and WhatsApp to consolidate a Mandsaur-like agitation, the Narsinghpur district administration has banned residents from posting or forwarding ‘provocative’ messages and photographs on digital spaces until early next year.

Farmers of the district, one of the main sugarcane-producing regions in central India, have been agitating for better produce prices over the last few days. They started a relay hunger strike from Tuesday to press for their demands. Babu Singh Patel, leader of Kissan Union Sangh, said they were demanding prices as per the percentage recovery of sugar from the sugarcane.

The order, issued by Narsinghpur additional district magistrate J Sameer Lakra under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, bans residents from posting or forwarding provocative messages through social media platforms.

It also prohibits rallies as well as publishing, printing or painting of provocative words on cutouts, banners, posters, hoardings and flags. The order will remain in force until January 11 next year, and action will be taken against violators.

FARMERS’ STIR TURNS VIOLENT IN MAHA

PUNE:A farmers’ protest, demanding higher price for their sugarcane crop in Shevgaon tehsil of Ahmednagar in western Maharashtra, turned violent after agitators went on a rampage on Wednesday. The farmers resorted to stone pelting and set rubber tyres and wood on fire after which the police opened fire, burst tear gas shell, and resorted to lathi-charge, injuring three farmers and five policemen.

In a meeting with factory owners and government representatives later, farmers accepted a rate of ₹2,525 per tonne for their crop and called off the agitation.