Why did they start shooting? Kin still in shock

Nobody expected the cops to open fire at us. To think that our chief minister calls himself a friend of the farmer

“My brother died in my arms, and there was nothing that I could do about it.”

Madhusudan Patidar (22) has tears in his eyes as he recalls the horror of seeing his brother, 17-year-old Abhishek, being shot down in Mandsaur on June 5. They had gone together to put forth their demands before the administration that fateful day, but only Madhusudan was left standing when the dust settled.

“Abhishek was shot twice, the first time in his stomach. He turned towards me and said, ‘Bhaiya, I have been shot’, and that was when another bullet pierced his back. We took him to Pipliyamandi hospital, but that was of no use. He was gone,” says Madhusudan. “Abhishek wanted to become a doctor… he was everybody’s little darling.”

Bewilderment weighs down on Madhusudan’s voice. “Nobody expected the police to open fire at us. To think that our chief minister calls himself a friend of the farmer!” he exclaims.

Incidentally, all the five victims of the Mandsaur shooting were Patidars – members of a community that’s wealthy, landed and devoted to the ruling BJP. Things, however, haven’t been looking up for the last few years. While farm produce don’t fetch as much in the market, input costs have increased almost in tandem with the reduction in subsidies.

It was for this very reason that the farmers decided to raise a collective demand for a minimum support price. The agitation turned unruly, and police firing followed.

Bablu Patidar (22), just six months’ married, was another casualty of that dreaded day.

“I am angry at the chief minister. All he does is make false promises and shed crocodile tears,” says Radheshyam, his uncle.

The family of 25-year-old Satyanarayan relates a similar story. “Who knew he was heading to his death that day? We were three siblings, and now we’re just two,” bemoans Kanhaiyalal Patidar, his brother. All of them met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday.

“I hope his visit forces the government to help us,” says Kanhaiyalal, desperation glinting in his eyes.