Anti-riot police rushed to MP

Bhopal, June 8
With farmers in western Madhya Pradesh, especially Mandsaur and Dewas districts, today resorting to arson, the Centre rushed 1,100 anti-riot police personnel to be deployed in Ujjain, Dewas, Mandsaur, Neemuch and Sehore districts even as CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the families of the deceased.
Edit: A shot in the foot
This, however, failed to mollify the protesters who are demanding better prices for their produce and a loan waiver. The BJP government also announced a loan-settlement scheme covering six lakh farmers.
In New Delhi, PM Narendra Modi, who has promised to double farmers’ income by the end of his first term in 2019, met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.

In Mandsaur, District Magistrate Swatantra Kumar Singh and Indore Superintendent of Police OP Tripathi were roughed up when they reached Barkheda Pant where farmers were squatting with the body of one of the farmers killed on Tuesday. Also, shops in Suasara town in the district were torched.
Inspector Shyambabu Sharma of the Suasara police station received head injuries when the police tried to tackle a mob throwing stones. A warehouse was set ablaze in Badi Choupati area and the Mhow-Neemuch highway was blocked for hours.
In Dewas district, protesters set on fire four passenger buses running between Indore and Bhopal and eight other vehicles. A mob torched vehicles parked outside a police station in the district.
Shops and offices in Neemuch district adjoining Mandsaur also remained shut. A police outpost in Harkiya Khal Phanta area was set ablaze.
In Ujjain district,10 policemen, including an inspector, were injured in stone-pelting.
Protesters threw vegetables and fruit on roads in Sanwer and Simrol areas of Indore and emptied milk containers.
In Khargone district, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh workers burnt an effigy of the state Home Minister. In Sehore district, the car of Additional Collector of Barwani was attacked with stones. Incidents of violence was also reported from Dhar.
Congress legal cell chairman and Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha has announced legal aid for the 450-odd farmers booked in “false cases”.
Farmers in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been protesting since June 1, complaining that their incomes have not risen, despite a steady hike in agricultural output. Demands for loan waiver have gained momentum after the Uttar Pradesh Government of Yogi Adityanath waived off Rs 36,400 crore worth of farmers’ debt.