Madhya Pradesh farmers protest: Shivraj Singh Chouhan ends fast on second day

With Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ending his indefinite fast for bringing back peace in the state amid raging farmers" protests, the Congress party on Monday dubbed the former's act as sheer "drama' and said in spite of such tactics, the condition of the farmers remains unchanged.

Chouhan, who began the fast on Saturday to calm frayed tempers of the farmers demanding a loan waiver and remunerative prices for their produce, announced a slew of schemes for their benefit but issued a stern warning to those who engaged in "incendiary activities". Senior party member Sanjay Singh, who was part of the delegation, said: "First the state home minister said that shots that killed the farmers were not fired by policemen but then later he accepted that there had been police firing". He was on indefinite fast since Saturday to restore peace in the state.

Earlier, Chouhan had said he lived for the state's people and the farmers and would also die for them. "When he started this fast, he claimed that he would sacrifice his life for farmers".

Chouhan also entailed how the families of the deceased met him and asked him to discontinue the fast. He also announced that the agricultural land would be acquired only after the consent of the farmer.

He reiterated that Agriculture Produce Cost Stabilisation Fund and Agriculture Produce Cost and Marketing Commission will be formed for the welfare of farmers. The activists were stopped by the police at the Dhodhar toll plaza in Ratlam district's Jaora town and detained in the circuit house there for about 30 minutes.

Curfew was lifted from all three police station areas of Mandsaur city yesterday, but was in place in Pipliamandi police station area, which is 15 kms from Mandsaur district headquarters and where five farmers were killed in separate police firings during the agitation.

After their detention, Yadav told reporters, "Our arrest is against the law as no written order was shown to us". "We have made a decision to implement every policy with the consent of farmers", he said before ending the fast. They had come from Mandsaur to meet him and seek justice.