Shivraj on indefinite fast, says pained to see violence in MP

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday announced the setting up of commission which would assess the input cost of agriculture produce, and said he was pained to see the violence in the state during the farmers’ agitation.

Chouhan, who began an indefinite fast on Saturday in his bid to restore peace in the violence-hit state, appealed to the farmers for peace, asking when his door was always open for talks, where was the need for violence.

A pandal was erected at BHEL, Dussehra Maidan in state capital Bhopal from where Chouhan will run his government. Chouhan’s decision to observe the fast comes in the wake of violence in several parts of the state during the agitation by farmers and the killing of five farmers in Mandsaur in police firing a few days back.

Mandsaur, the epicentre of the farmers’ agitation in the state, remained peaceful with authorities relaxing curfew for 12 hours from 8am to 8pm.

As the situation eased, markets reopened and locals stepped out to stock essentials such as vegetables and milk. District collector OP Srivastava said normalcy was returning and there was no report of any untoward incident.

Internet services, however, remained suspended in the area.

“If the situation remains normal, curfew will be withdrawn on Sunday,” Srivastava said.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ajay Singh termed Chouhan’s fast as a “Kejriwal drama”, which, he alleged, would involve an expenditure of crores of rupees. Without naming the Congress, Chouhan said he was pained when he heard words like “Thaane me aag laga do” (Set the police station on fire) or “Patthar maro” (Pelt stones).

WITHOUT NAMING THE CONGRESS, CHOUHAN SAID HE WAS PAINED WHEN HE HEARD WORDS LIKE “THAANE ME AAG LAGA DO”