MSP demand: Delhi-Chandigarh highway remains blocked, farmers to meet

Farmers blocking the national highway in Pipli in Haryana's Kurukshetra district over the demand for MSP for sunflower seeds will hold a meeting on Tuesday to mull their future course of action after two rounds of talks with the district administration failed to yield any outcome.

Farmers have blocked the highway (NH-44) near Pipli, which connects Delhi with Chandigarh, and some other routes since Monday afternoon after holding a mahapanchayat on the issue.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said they held a meeting with the district administration twice on Monday night but the talks did not yield any outcome.

He said a local committee of farmers that was constituted on Monday and the leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) would hold a meeting on Tuesday to chalk out their further course of action.

Tikait said the issue of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sunflower crop is not only affecting farmers in Haryana but the entire farmer community "as we are demanding a MSP law for all crops, as promised by the union government when we withdrew the 'Kisan andolan' (farmers agitation against the now repealed farm laws)".

Apart from the MSP for sunflower seeds, the protesting farmers are demanding the release of nine farmer union leaders who were arrested during a protest at Shahabad here recently.

Kurukshetra's Superintendent of Police S S Bhoria told PTI that the district administration is trying to persuade the farmers to lift the blockade and was hopeful that a solution would be found.

He also said that a fresh case has been registered against the protesters by the police under relevant provisions of law for blocking the national highway.

Prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 imposed in an area of 2 km radius of grain market Pipli, where farmers held their mahapanchayat, have been violated, he said.

The "MSP Dilao, Kisan Bachao Mahapanchayat", called by the BKU (Charuni), was held at a grain market in Pipli close to national highway-44.Subsequently, they blocked the highway.

The district administration and the police have been making efforts to persuade the protesting farmers to lift the blockade, which has caused inconvenience to commuters.

Leaders of various khaps, Tikait and Olympic medal-winning wrestler Bajrang Punia, one of the grapplers who have been demanding action against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of women grapplers, had attended the mahapanchayat in Pipli.

Tikait also sat with the protesting farmers on the national highway.

Farmers from Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan too attended the gathering.

Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sharma said on Monday night that the farmers were occupying both carriageways.

"We have been requesting them to initiate a dialogue, but they want their demands to be met first," the DC had said.

On June 6, farmers led by BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni blocked the highway near Shahabad here demanding that the government procure sunflower seeds at MSP. Police used water cannons and batons to disperse the protesters.

Later, nine BKU (Charuni) leaders, including its president, were arrested over various charges, including rioting and unlawful assembly.

Tikait had said that the government should procure sunflower on MSP and the farmer leaders arrested in Shahabad should be released.

Addressing the mahapanchayat, Tikait had announced that the SKM would start a pan-India agitation if a law for MSP, "as promised by the Union government", is not brought.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had on Saturday released Rs 29.13 crore as interim compensation to 8,528 farmers for sunflowers grown on 36,414 acres. The farmers are demanding that the state government procure sunflowers at an MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal.

Under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana -- price difference payment scheme -- the state government is giving Rs 1,000 per quintal as interim support for sunflower crop sold below MSP.