New Delhi– The protest by sunflower farmers on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway (NH-44) near Shahabad has escalated, leading to clashes with the police today. Despite multiple meetings with the Kurukshetra district administration, the farmers have refused to clear the blockade, resulting in the police resorting to lathi charges and water cannons to disperse the protesters. The farmers, demanding a minimum support price (MSP) for sunflower seeds, sustained minor injuries, and the police detained some.
The blockade of NH-44, a crucial highway connecting northern Indian states and union territories to the capital, caused significant inconvenience to commuters, leading to six hours of disruption. The police action aligns with the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s orders to clear the highway.
The farmers, led by BKU (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni, demanded that government agencies commence sunflower seed procurement at the MSP of ₹6,400 per quintal. The government is not buying sunflower seeds at the minimum support price (MSP). This forces farmers to sell their produce to private buyers at a significantly lower price. Despite warnings from the police, the farmers remained resolute in their demands.
While most detained farmers were released, eight leaders, including Charuni, remained in custody. Traffic was diverted through alternative routes, causing further inconvenience to stranded commuters. In response to the police action, protesters blocked the Ambala-Yamunanagar highway but were also dispersed by the authorities.
The farmers have called for intensifying the protests, vowing to block highways across the state. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait announced his plans to join the protests in Kurukshetra. Meanwhile, Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Limited (HAFED) initiated sunflower seed procurement at a lower price. Still, farmers argue they will only face substantial losses with the MSP.