Chandigarh,UPDATED: Jun 6, 2023 23:15 IST
By Pawan Rathi: Farmers blocked the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway in Kurukshetra on Tuesday as they protested against the Haryana government’s decision to not buy sunflower seeds at the minimum support price (MSP). The police resorted to using water cannons and lathi-charge to disperse the agitating farmers.
The protesting farmers claimed that the state government was not buying sunflower seeds at the MSP, and they were forced to sell their produce to private buyers at around Rs 4,000 per quintal against Rs 6,400 MSP. They sought procurement of sunflower seeds by the government at the MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal.
When their demands were not fulfilled, the farmers blocked the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway in Kurukshetra on Tuesday. The police then lathi-charged the crowd to clear the road.
In response to police resorting to lathi-charge to disperse agitators in Kurukshetra, farmers in several other cities, including Sonipat, Gohana, and Rohtak, blocked roads and highways in Haryana.
In Sonipat, farmers blocked the Ganaur Pugthala Road near Sardhana village.
Soon after getting information about a road jam, the Ganaur Police reached the spot and persuaded the farmers to lift bloackade.
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The agitating farmers raised slogans against the Haryana government.
Farmer leader Virendra Pahal said, “We will continue to protest till we get justice. We protest against the brutal beating of farmers by the police.”
In Gohana, the farmers blocked the Rohtak-Panipat National Highway in protest against the lathicharge on farmers in Kurukshetra.
The members of the Bharatiya Kisan expressed their displeasure over the alleged lathi-charge against farmers in Kurukshetra. They called Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter “anti-farmers”.
The farmers also blocked Rohtak to Hisar highway over treatment meted out to farmers in Kurukshetra.
CONGRESS’S ‘STICK GOVT’ JIBE AT HARYANA CM
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala lashed out against Haryana Chief Minister and BJP leader Manohal Lal Khattar over the lathicharge on farmers in Kurukshetra.
“The Khattar government became a “stick government”. Lathicharge on farmers in Kurukshetra will work as a nail in the shroud of BJP-JJP government. The MSP of sunflower crop is Rs 6,400 but the farmer is forced to sell the crop for Rs 4,000-4,500. On asking for justice, you get sticks. This oppression will not be tolerated anymore. The merciless lathicharge in Shahabad of Kurukshetra has exposed the hatred of the Khattar government towards the farmers,” Surjewala tweeted.
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