Mandsaur farmers’ protest: FIR against Congress MLA for ‘inciting’ mob to burn down police station

Shakuntala Khatik. (File/ANI)

An FIR was registered against Congress MLA from Shivpuri Shakuntala Khatik and Venus Goyal in Karera police station in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday on charges of inciting violence among protesters. A video had emerged of the Congress MLA urging the protesters to burn the police station down.

 

The Congress’ Shivpuri MLA was seen in a video repeatedly inciting people to accompany her to burn down a nearby police station, whereas a police official was seen requesting the MLA to calm down.

Congress MLA Shakuntala Khatik inciting people to burn police station in MP.. Shameful! pic.twitter.com/2dX4PmI6bm

— Tajinder Bagga (@TajinderBagga) June 9, 2017

The BJP had, subsequently, asked for the Congress leader to be arrested and called on Congress Vice- President Rahul Gandhi to apologise for the irresponsible behaviour of his party leader.

On Monday, Khatik had refuted the allegations saying she was only responding to the incompetence of the police station. “I told police if they can’t ensure women safety then why are they sitting in police station, set it on fire,” she told ANI.

“I didn’t instigate the workers. Would they have remained silent, had I asked them to do so?” Khatik said.

Farmers have been protesting in the region since June 1, demanding loan waivers and higher remunerative prices for their crops. Following the police firing in Mandsaur in which six farmers were killed, the situation spiralled out of control with protesters resorted to looting and arson in several districts.

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