Kisan Cong Protests shortage of seeds, fertilisers, falling prices of crops

Bhopal: The state Kisan Congress (Congress Party's Farmer Wing) on Monday held a protest demonstration and assembly gherao against the alleged anti-farmer policies of the state BJP govt. The state Kisan Congress was protesting the shortage of fertilisers, seeds, electricity, water, and decreasing prices of agricultural produce. AICC in-charge Harish Chaudhary, former chief minister Digvijaya Singh, state PCC chief Jitu Patwari, LOP Umang Singhar, and newly appointed state Kisan Congress president Dharmendra Singh Chouhan led the protest from the Rang Mahal Square here.
The Kisan Congress workers, along with functionaries of the Congress party and former ministers Sajjan Singh Verma, Sachin Yadav, and Kamleshwar Patel, marched to gherao the state assembly. But the huge crowd of Congress activists was stopped by a large police contingent at the next intersection of New Market crossing. Police barricaded the entire area so the protestors could march no further.
When Congress activists tried to break through and cross over the metal barricading, police resorted to the use of water cannons on the protestors. The Congress party later condemned the use of police force on the agitators.
Harish Chaudhary said that the condition of farmers is pathetic, not only in the state but also in the country. "Farmers are being continuously tortured. Farmers are agitating from the state to the whole country for their legitimate demands. They are being oppressed to such an extent that sometimes they are being crushed and at other times nails are being laid on their paths. The Congress party will continue its fight to get justice for farmers," Harish Chaudhary said.
State Congress president Jitu Patwari argued, "Today, the Congress party gheraoed the Vidhan Sabha to protest the non-availability of electricity, water, fertilisers, and seeds on time, inflation, and falling prices of crops. Our protest was joined by thousands of farmers and workers from across the state who agitated against the anti-farmer BJP government." He recalled that the govt promised the farmers to pay Rs 2,700 as MSP for wheat, Rs 3,100 for paddy, and Rs 6,000 for soyabean. The BJP govt completely reneged on the promises it made to the farmers, Patwari said.
LOP Umang Singhar said that farmers are forced to wander from door-to-door. "They are not being given proper support prices, and the BJP govt is busy organising events. This struggle of Congress will continue against the dictatorial and anti-farmer attitude of the BJP govt. Congress will fight from the streets to the state assembly until the farmers get justice," said Singhar.
Earlier, dais set up at the protest site collapsed leaving several senior Congress functionaries injured. Those injured included state Congress organisational vice-president Rajiv Singh, former PCC media cell chief Manak Agarwal, former spokesman Ravi Saxena, and former MLA Shailendra Patel. They were hospitalised with injuries. AICC in-charge Harish Choudhary said, "Many things will break, many incidents will happen, many injuries will take place, but despite this, the state Congress is very strong."