‘MP farmers will pay ₹25K, land in jail if they protest’

The police in Madhya Pradesh has decided to make 7,000 farmers, who had participated in the last year’s protest in Mandsaur that ended with the death of six of them in police firing, to sign an undertaking that they would not participate in the protest marking its first anniversary on June 1, HT has learnt.

If the farmers participated in the protest, they would have to pay ~25,000 and the bail granted to them would stand cancelled.

Several messages on local WhatsApp groups and social media across the state have criticised the stance taken by the police, which is resorting to several measures to dissuade the farmers from protesting. Some of these messages alleged that the police was “working to suppress the farmers” and their voice.

An order issued by the police headquarters Wednesday also cancelled leaves for the personnel for 10 days beginning June 1, citing the farmers’ agitation and the month of Ramzan.

“We are getting the bonds (readied) to make sure there is a peaceful environment,” deputy inspector general of police, Indore, Harinarayanchari Mishra said. “The bond is just for the protesters who had participated in the violent protest that took place last year, and who were booked by the police.”

Besides the undertaking from the farmers, the police said it would provide security to those going to the mandis (marketplace) to sell their produce.

Farmers alleged that the BJP government was trying to divide them with the help of police.

“By issuing such statements, the government is dividing us. We will stop the farmers in a peaceful manner from going to the city but if police interfere, farmers will agitate against this too,” said Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Anil Yadav said.

“The government is using its power to create disturbances. They are interfering by asking us to sign the bond,” farmer leader Shivkumar Sharma said.

BHOPAL: