MP farm protests: Activists allege house arrest, cops deny charge

Several activists planning to mark the completion of seven months of farm protests against the Centre's three new laws on Saturday claimed they were held under house arrest in Madhya Pradesh, an allegation refuted by police authorities.

Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh national convener Shiv Kumar Sharma 'Kakkaji' told PTI that police was deployed outside his house at around 8:30 am with the intention of keeping him inside.

"They did not tell me about house arrest but I gauged that their intention was to keep me inside the house. Several colleagues told me the situation was similar at their homes with police remaining present outside. At 12:30 pm, a delegation was allowed to submit a memorandum at a government office," Sharma said.

In a statement, Badal Saroj of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha said over 100 activists and farmers, including Medha Patkar and Dr Sunilam of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, were held under house arrest till 4pm at Gandhi Bhawan. The statement claimed police allowed just five people to submit a memorandum of their demands after much insistence from activists and farmers present.

"But the delegation was not allowed to enter Raj Bhawan by the police and had to return from the gate," Saroj said. Refuting the allegations, Bhopal Range Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) A Sai Manohar told PTI that none of the activists were kept under house arrest. “There was no agitation possible in the pandemic due to protocol. If they were arrested, how could the activists reach the gate of Raj Bhawan? Nobody was placed under house arrest,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sharma said, after Mission Bengal, protesting farmers will also take part in the Uttar Pradesh polls scheduled to be held next year. adding that they will not campaign for any party but will make people aware of the anti-people nature of the three agri marketing laws passed by the Centre.

He claimed mustard oil prices have gone up from Rs 70 per litre to Rs 200 per litre due to these new laws that allow traders and corporates to hoard limitless quantities.