Indian police kills eight protestors (Updated)

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Indian police kills eight protestors

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On July 29, 2007  Indian police shoot eight protesters at Mudigonda, in Andhra Pradesh,during a rally demanding Indian government to give housing and land to the poor.    This second day rally was organised by two Indian communist parties as part of a three-month campaign for land reform. During rally protestors started to throw stones and police officers answered them with bullets. The mourning relatives left the dead protestor bodies in front of a government office. Congress party government ordered an inquiry into this incident. Then, Chief Minister Y Rajasekhar Reddy announced an ex-gratia compensation for the families of each victim. They would receive payment and one acre (wet) and two acres (dry). However, in response to the deaths and brutal police action, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and opposition parties called for a general strike.

India has tried to curb growing suicide rates among farmers. Cotton-growing region of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Maharashtra has been particularly hit by these sad deaths.  Farmers have been struggling to make ends meet as their burden of debts increased. As a response, the issue of land distribution has taken centre stage lately. Even though they share power as members of a governing coalition, Left parties cry that the Congress government has paid little attention to the implementation of land reforms in the last three years. They are part of their agreed National Common Minimum Programme. Since May 2007, the Left parties, particularly the Communist Party of India (Marxist), have launched a Statewide "land occupation movement", and the government's efforts to pacify them have failed.  Some sporadic protests have become violent but no death had been reported until this sad event.

PS: On Monday July 30, 2007, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy. As the shooting on Saturday took place on the direct instructions of the Chief Minister, CPI (M) holds him "solely responsible". It also announced the continuation of its campaign for proper housing and the distribution of land to the poor. There are contradictory reports on the number of the dead. Some Indian Newspaper said six demonstrators died while others quoted eight deaths.

Sources: Times of India The Hindu Frontline Al Jazeera BBC