Madhya Pradesh farmers' strike: Hardik Patel says government shouldn't compel farmers to become Naxals

Mandsaur: Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel said the government shouldn’t “compel farmers to become Naxals”. [caption id=“attachment_3570439” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A file image of Hardik Patel.[/caption] Patel, who had crossed swords with the BJP government in Gujarat during the agitation for OBC quota, also said that he didn’t recognise Narendra Modi as the prime minister of the country. He was speaking at `Kisan Maha-panchayat’ organised by Patidar Samaj (a Patidar organisation) at Narayangarh in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh, which had witnessed an intense farmers’ agitation last month. When farm loans can be waived in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, why can’t it happen in Madhya Pradesh, he asked. “This country is run by farmers. Don’t compel farmers to become Naxals,” Patel said. Farmers would never have to face bullets if those sitting in Bhopal and Delhi were true leaders, he said, referring to death of five protesters in police firing in Mandsaur during the agitation last month. “I don’t recognise Narendra Modi as the prime minister of the country (Main Narendra Modi-ko desh-ka pradhan mantri nahi manta),” he said. Farmers in MP have paved the way for a nationwide farmers’ agitation, Patel said. Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Patidar Samaj president Mahendra Patidar told the gathering that the farmers’ agitation in the state was self-motivated. He also demanded that the state government should restart procurement of opium poppy husk (which is cultivated in the area) or the farmers would sell the crop to anyone who wants to buy it.