MSP for sunflower seeds: Farmers block national highway in Kurukshetra

The farmers on Monday gathered in Kurukshetra to hold Mahapanchayat over their demand for Minimum Support Price for sunflower seed, out on roads in the city. They also announced a complete blockade of the national highway.

As the visuals of farmers protesting on roads emerged, farm leader Rakesh Tikait said that “highways should not be blocked as it creates inconvenience for commuters.”

“We have only two demands, release the farmers who were detained and start purchasing sunflower seeds at MSP. We are ready to hold discussions with the government," Tikait added, as per news agency ANI.

This came days after police used lathi charge and alleged use of force and water cannons to disperse protesting farmers from NH-44 near Kurukshetra. Visuals by ANI showed farmers and their supporters from Punjab and Haryana gathered on streets in large numbers on their tractors.

Recently, hundreds of farmers blocked the national highway in Haryana's Kurukshetra district demanding the state government to withdraw its decision not to procure sunflower seeds on MSP and induct the crop under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana.

Some protesting farmers even tried to remove police barricades on the road.

The protest was led by Haryana BKU-Chaduni chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni.

The protesting farmers in Haryana's Kurukshetra Shahbad were baton charged by the police while they were demanding MSP for their produce. While justifying the crackdown, the police said that they were merely following court orders which allowed the administration to conduct maximum restraint to control the dispersed ‘mob’.

Wrestler Bajrang Punia also extended his support for farmers who are holding a mahapanchayat demanding MSP for crops. He reached Kurukshetra's Pipli mandi in Haryana on Monday to show his support.

“We have come here to support the farmers. Even we come from farming families. We will stand with the farmers who are standing on the roads. We have supported farmers even during the farmers’ protest and we will keep supporting them," Punia said.

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