Farmers Movement Archive

Mandi will remain closed today as farmers plan protests in Mandsaur

Bhopal: Throwing their weight behind various farmers’ organisations in the state, which have been gearing up for widespread agitation on September 25, the Mandsaur farmers have said that mandi there will remain closed today.The new Farm Bills brought by Modi government have caused a nationwide farmers’ stir. The farmers’ organisations in the state have pledged support to the September 25 nationwide agitation, cutting across party lines.Criticising the centre, farmers said the NDA was acting under the pressure exerted by America and the Bills would benefit “some business houses” in the country. Unaware of the din created over the issue, the ordinary farmer of the state, however, is still busy dealing with the issues affecting his livelihood, including crop damage. “Most of us don’t understand these political issues till some leaders come and explain them to us”, said Beni Prasad a marginal farmer in a remote village of Chhatarpur district in Bundelkhand region of MP.Farmers’ organisations are busy preparing for agitations in the coming days, said a prominent farmers’ leader of Madhya Pradesh, Shivkmar Sharma alias Kakkaji. He said, “Mandsaur goli kand of 2017 is now a symbol of injustice not only to the farmers of the state but for the whole country. At that time, farmers were not getting good price for their produce. As a result they protested against the government, which resulted in killing of six of them in Mandsaur protest. But sad part is that farmers are still not getting proper price.” Triveni Dutt Tripathi, general secretary of Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh said, “We will start rallies from September 30 across the state to create awareness among the farmers over the issue of these bills.”Anil Yadav, state president of Bhartiya Kisan Union added, “We will hold protest on September 25 against the bills.”

The Times of India

2020-09-25

Bhopal