Farmers protesting the delay in getting their acquired land back from Madhya Pradesh government today said they were cane-charged by the police here when they tried to reach the venue of a function being attended by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The farmers protesting at Maharajpur here against the Land Sealing Act tried to rush forward towards the venue waiving black flags, where Chouhan was launching the Atal Jyoti Scheme under which 24-hour power will be supplied in rural areas.

The agitators also hurled red chili powder at police when they tried to prevent them, police said, adding a number of policemen sustained injuries in their eyes.
Police later arrested nearly 70 farmers for disrupting peace and sent them to jail.

Farmers have been agitating at Maharajpur for last one month over the delay in getting their acquired land back as assured by the chief minister last year. They had announced their decision to show black flags to Chouhan for not fulfilling his promise and when they tried to force their way towards the venue today, they were cane-charged by police, the farmers claimed.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly Ajay Singh condemned the incident saying, "It appears that struggle for their (farmers') right has become a crime in the state."