Farmers protesting their demands for a minimum support price for sunflower seeds continued to block the highway leading to Delhi after staging a mahapanchayat in Kurukshetra, Haryana.
Social media users posted images of farmers in Kurukshetra area obstructing National Highway-44 with tractors. At the location, where they also spent the night, food and drinks were also set up.
A major national highway linking Delhi to Chandigarh, Amritsar, and Jammu was stopped on Monday by farmers, headed by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), in Pipli, Haryana’s Kurukshetra district. The blockade, which lasted till late at night, forced police to detour traffic. The “MSP Dilao, Kisan Bachao Mahapanchayat” was held at Pipli near a grain market.
The protesting farmers had blocked a 500-meter section of the roadway and were refusing to move until late at night, despite the district administration and police’s best efforts. According to the police, Chandigarh traffic headed for Delhi was also rerouted.
What is it that the farmers want?
The lack of MSP for sunflower seeds is the cause of the farmers’ protests. Additionally, they are calling for the release of nine farmer union officials who were recently detained at a demonstration in Shahabad.
Various khap leaders, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, and Olympic medalist wrestler Bajrang Punia were present at the mahapanchayat in Pipli. These wrestlers have been calling for action against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of female grapplers. Tikait joined the farmers who were blocking the national highway in their protest.
Also present were farmers from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana.
They said that the blockade would remain until their demands were satisfied.