Indore’s Shocking Rs 15,000 Crore Scandal: Government and Farmers Cheated in Massive Tax Fraud!

Traders Enforcing Their Own Laws in Markets

Life threatening attacks held on Mukesh Somani in the past

06th August 2024, New Delhi:

In Indore’s Devi Ahilyabai Market, farmers are being subjected to illegal extortion amounting to crores of rupees. Under the guise of the adat practice, traders are evading market tax, failing to provide farmers with price slips, weight slips, and payment slips, resulting in significant losses for the farmers. Among the 254 markets in Madhya Pradesh, major scams amounting to around ₹15,000 crore have been carried out in Indore, Ujjain, Badnawar, and Shajapur markets, where traders enforce their own laws, exploiting both the government and farmers. Despite farmers’ complaints, the administration has not taken concrete action. This information was shared by Anil Yadav, President of the Madhya Pradesh Bharti Kisan Union, and Mukesh Somani, a farmers’ advocate, during a press conference at the Press Club of India in Delhi. They emphasized that the struggle for farmers’ rights will continue, and they hope the administration will take concrete steps soon to benefit farmers and increase government revenue.

Petitioner Mukesh Somani, fighting for farmers’ rights, revealed that the first case was filed in 2006 in Indore before the honorable High Court’s double bench. In 2007, the High Court ruled in favor of farmers, ordering the cessation of illegal extortion. However, in 2015, Arun Pandey, Director of the Madhya Pradesh Market Board, overturned the court’s decision. In 2017, the Principal Secretary of Agriculture, Rajesh Ji, was informed, who then affirmed the High Court’s decision and declared the MD’s decision incorrect, but the traders obtained a stay from the High Court, denying justice to farmers. On January 23, 2024, the honorable High Court’s double bench ruled in favor of farmers, abolishing the adat practice, but six months later, the same bench reversed its decision, ruling in favor of the traders, causing great disappointment to the farmers. Life-threatening attacks have been held on Mukesh Somani in the past over the same.

Farmers’ Union Raised Demand

Anil Yadav, President of the Madhya Pradesh Bharti Kisan Union, fighting alongside Mukesh Somani, stated that the Farmers’ Union demanded the cessation of illegal extortion by traders. The primary demand of the Bharti Kisan Union is to operate the Indore market like other government markets in Madhya Pradesh. However, Indore market traders have established a separate practice, repeatedly thwarting efforts to abolish it. To end this practice, the matter has now been brought to Delhi, hoping that the farmers’ issue will be raised there, benefiting both the farmers and the government.

Subhash Malhotra, Vice President of the Madhya Pradesh Bharti Kisan Union, stated during the press conference that the farming community believes farmers always lag behind due to the money and influence of brokers. This fight has been ongoing for a long time, and the government should consider it as it affects both farmers and government revenue.

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Sanjay Sakalle, Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Bharti Kisan Union, stated that in Indore market, farmers are being cheated through tax evasion under the adat practice. Farmers are not given price slips, weight slips, and payment slips. The markets are exploiting both the government and farmers. Mukesh Somani has fought a legal battle against this injustice, and although the High Court ruled in favor of farmers, the traders managed to overturn the decision. The move to Delhi aims to seek help for farmers.

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