Farmers Block National Highway in Kurukshetra, Demand MSP for Sunflower Seeds

New Delhi: Farmers in Kurukshetra, Haryana took to the streets in protest, causing a blockade on the national highway leading to Delhi.

The demonstration followed a mahapanchayat, or grand assembly, where the farmers expressed their grievances against the Haryana government’s decision to not purchase sunflower seeds at the minimum support price (MSP). Led by prominent figures like Rakesh Tikait of the Bharatiya Kisan Union and wrestler Bajrang Punia, the farmers demanded MSP for sunflower seeds and addressed other concerns.

The protesters gathered on the flyover near Pipli in Kurukshetra district and their actions disrupted traffic on the Delhi-Chandigarh National Highway. The farmers claimed that the state government was neglecting the purchase of sunflower seeds at the MSP, compelling them to sell their produce to private buyers at a lower price of around Rs 4,000 per quintal instead of the MSP of Rs 6,400. They insisted that the government procure sunflower seeds at the MSP to alleviate their financial struggles.

Earlier, on June 6, when their demands went unmet, the farmers blocked the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway in Kurukshetra. Subsequently, the police intervened and had to resort to lathi-charging to disperse the crowd and reopen the road. As a result, nine leaders of the BKU (Charuni), including the president, were arrested on charges such as rioting and unlawful assembly. The situation remains tense as the farmers persist in their efforts to secure their demands.