Six Farmers

Madhya Pradesh

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on 7 May regarding the killings of six farmers by the Madhya Pradesh Police who were protesting against the policies of the state government in Mandsaur district. The six farmers were Kanhaiyalal Patidar, Bablu Patidar, Surendra Singh Patidar, Prem Singh Patidar, Sathyanaraya and Abhishek Patidar. All of them were members of the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangh (RKMS).

Since June 1, 2017, farmers from the western districts of Madhya Pradesh were agitating under the banner of RKMS. They were demanding an increase in the MSP of their crop produce. There were also demands of loan-waiver, in tune with the Uttar Pradesh state government’s decision. The protests were peaceful. To gain attention of the government, farmers poured milk, dumped vegetables on the road and continued in a peaceful manner across Madhya Pradesh.  

Despite the protests intensifying across Madhya Pradesh, the state government did not respond to the concerns and demands of the farmers. On June 5, 2017, after there were reports that the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mr Shivraj Singh Chauhan,  had assured that he will increase the MSP, the Madhya Pradesh Kisan Sena (MPKS) and Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), which are affiliated to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), withdrew from the protest. However, other main farmers’ bodies continued their agitation and they accused BKS of colluding with the government and betraying the farmers.

On June 6, 2017, in Pipalya Mandi area, the police opened fire on protesters at about 2 PM. Six protestors died due to bullet injury, five on the spot and another on the way to a hospital in Indore. Many protesters were seriously injured and had to undergo treatment in hospitals.