Rajasthani government: Following an agreement between MP Hanuman Beniwal and the farmers halt their protests

Rajasthani government: Following overnight negotiations, a formal agreement was made with the district government, leading to the early suspension of the farmers’ protest in Rajasthan, spearheaded by Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal.

With a huge caravan of about 2,000 cars, Beniwal started his march towards Jaipur on Tuesday in an effort to advocate for six important objectives, including compensation for farmers and tough action against the sand mafia.

The breakthrough occurred at about five in the morning when Beniwal met with Superintendent of Police Mridul Kachhawa, Riyanbadi SDM Suryakant, and Nagaur District Collector Arun Kumar Purohit. Following the meeting, Beniwal said that all of the main requests had been agreed upon, and the protest was put on hold.

Teams will be sent out within a day to perform surveys against illicit sand mining, Beniwal told the reporters. All agreed-upon steps will be finished in the next two to three days, he continued.

He states that the deal covers settling outstanding crop insurance claims, taking action against the relevant SDM and mining authorities, performing inspections in the Riya region to control the sand mafia, and providing compensation for land that the Railways have acquired.

Beniwal and a group of farmers and supporters departed Nagaur on Tuesday night. Around 9:30 p.m., the convoy came to a stop close to the toll booth at Bari Ghati, the last settlement in the Nagaur district on the route. Later, at around 11.30 p.m., the Nagaur Collector, SP, and Ajmer Range IG Rajendra Singh arrived at the bargaining location. Discussions went on until about 1:30 a.m., but they were unable to reach a consensus on a number of issues. The situation remained tight at first since no agreement was achieved.

The government had sent a large police force to Padukalan and barred the Nagaur-Ajmer NH-59. Beniwal’s caravan diverted toward Jaipur upon seeing the roadblocks, which increased pressure on the government and ultimately resulted in further negotiations.

Beniwal’s main requests include harsh punishments and enforcement against unlawful mining, which should include physical inspections and drone surveys to stop the sand mafia. Moreover, he called for the dismissal and suspension of the Degana SDM, Degana DSP, Mining Engineer Rakesh Sheshma, and other accountable authorities.

In addition, he requested compensation for farmers and the inclusion of communities in the Merta and Riyan regions that were not included in the disaster aid provided the previous year. Additionally, he brought up the problem of grazing land and called for stern action regarding the alleged erroneous distribution of around 14,000 bighas of grazing land.

Beniwal had earlier participated in an eight-day farmers’ demonstration in Riyanbadi and had given the government till Tuesday at 4 p.m. to agree to the requests. He had said in his address to supporters on Tuesday that “we are fighting for genuine issues.” The people who illegally distribute grazing land must be held accountable, and farmers must get any unpaid payments at market prices.

Now that the formal agreement is in effect, the government has promised prompt action, which has caused the protest to be suspended and local life to return to normal.