Farmers in Madhya Pradesh village have accused Vidisha officials of treating them like "criminals" as they were made to wear slates around their necks and photographed in front of their fields during an exercise to evaluate crop damage.
The farmers from Manora village said that they felt humiliated as they are "food providers, not criminals".
"We were made to wear slates around our neck by the Patwari during the survey of our farmland. We were told it is an order and if farmers do not turn up the Gram Kotwal's picture will be taken," the Gram Kotwal told news agency ANI.
We were made to wear slates around our neck by the Patwari during the survey of our farmland.
"We fell really bad. I did not hang it around my neck. The administration wrote details of the farmers and their crops on slates. We condemn this incident as farmers are the food providers and this kind of attitude towards them is incorrect," a farmer said.
Mayank Agrawal, Chief Executive Officer of Zila Panchayat Vidisha, said that the process was immediately stopped after they received complaints from farmers.
"The process was immediately stopped. Tehsildar has been issued a notice. Additional District Magistrate is investigating the matter. Such behaviour is not acceptable. Appropriate action will be taken in the matter," he said.
With inputs from ANI
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