MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan ended his fast for peace with a glass of coconut water.
After more than 24 hours, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan ended his fast for peace this afternoon with a glass of coconut water. Mr Chouhan had started his fast yesterday for "peace" after protests had spread across the state following the police firing in Mandsaur in which six farmers were killed.
Reiterating that the state is providing interest-free loans to farmers and provided an increased support price for their crops, the Chief Minister said that the state will now provide loans to sons of farmers who wished to start their own business. The state will also pay for the education of farmers' children who make it to engineering or medical courses.
"Sons of farmers who wish to start their own work -- loans from 10 lakh onwards will be provided to them, and the guarantee will be taken by their uncle Shivraj Chouhan," the Chief Minister said from Bhopal's Dussehra Maidan, where he sat on a fast with his wife Sadhana.
"If our children get admitted in medical and engineering colleges, their fees will be paid by their uncle Shivraj Chouhan," he added.
Earlier today, the Chief Minister had told NDTV that families of farmers who died in firing during protests last week in Mandsaur, asked him to desist. "The families told me that 'you don't need to fast'. They asked me to visit their village. We will do all we can do for them," Mr Chouhan, 58, had told NDTV.
Mandsaur, the epicentre of farmers' protest, had been on the boil since Wednesday, when five farmers died in police firing. The framers had been demanding better prices for their crops and loan waivers.
Home Minister Bhupendra Singh had initially issued a strong denial about the involvement of the police in the firing, but confirmed it later.
As protests spread across the state after the firing, the Chief Minister began what came to be dubbed a "peace fast".