Farmer unions protesting over the minimum support price of sunflower seeds on Monday gave an ultimatum to the Haryana government to hold talks till 10 pm, otherwise their agitation will continue.
He said that after the 10 pm deadline, the dharna would be handed over to the United Kisan Morcha (SKM) for further decisions.
Earlier in the day, farmers blocked the Delhi-Chandigarh highway after holding a mahapanchayat in Kurukshetra demanding minimum support price for sunflower seeds.
The “MSP Dilao, Kisan Bachao mahapanchayat”, called by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), was held at a grain market in Pipli close to the National Highway-44.
After the mahapanchayat, the farmers gathered on the highway and blocked the road. Police was diverting traffic from Delhi via Kurukshetra bypass.
The mahapanchayat was attended by Olympic medal-winning wrestler Bajrang Punia, who has been demanding action against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, besides Rakesh Tikait, leader of the Indian Farmers Union and leaders of various khaps.
Farmers from Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan also participated in this meeting.
Karam Singh Mathana, farmer leader in the mahapanchayat, said the local administration has assured a meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to discuss their demands. “But now they say that the Chief Minister has left Karnal”.
“Because of this, the local committee that organized the mahapanchayat decided to block the National Highway-44 until our demands are met,” Mathana said. The highway also connects the Delhi-Kurukshetra-Amritsar route.
Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sharma told PTI that the district administration is in talks with BKU leaders since Sunday to resolve the issue of procuring sunflower seeds at MSP.
“Today also we asked him to give some time so that we can arrange a meeting with the chief minister. But BKU leaders preferred to block the highway.” He said farmers are being asked to lift the blockade.
On June 6, farmers led by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni blocked the National Highway-44 near Shahabad here, demanding the government to buy sunflower seeds at the minimum support price. Police used water cannons and lathicharged the protesters to disperse them.
Later, nine BKU (Charuni) leaders, including its president, were arrested on various charges including rioting and unlawful assembly.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, who attended the mahapanchayat on Monday, said that the government should procure sunflower at MSP and release the farmer leaders arrested in Shahabad.
Addressing the mahapanchayat, Tikait announced that the United Kisan Morcha would launch an all-India agitation if a law for MPS, “as promised by the central government”, was not brought.
He alleged that the government announces MSP but fails to procure it at that rate. Tikait condemned the police action against Churni and the farmers who blocked the National Highway-44 on June 6 and asked, “What wrong has the BKU (Charuni) leader done when he demanded MSP for the sunflower crop.” He said that various farmer organizations participated. Under their respective flags in Pipli Mahapanchayat, they were all united in the fight of the farmers.
He said that the issue of MSP for sunflower affects not only the farmers of Haryana but also the growers of various crops across the country who are forced to sell in the absence of MSP law.
Addressing the mahapanchayat, some farmer leaders criticized the government for its “anti-farmer” policies and the police action against their leaders. They demanded the government to buy sunflower seeds at MSP and release the protestors who were recently arrested in Shahabad.
The government is now refusing to procure sunflower at the MSP fixed by the Centre. He said that in future they may refuse to buy other crops including wheat and paddy at MSP.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday released Rs 29.13 crore as interim compensation to 8,528 farmers for sunflower growing on 36,414 acres. The farmers are demanding that the state government buy sunflower at the minimum support price of Rs 6,400 per quintal.
Under Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana – Price Difference Payment Scheme – the state government is giving Rs 1,000 per quintal as interim support for sunflower crop sold below MSP.
(With PTI inputs)