
Farmers in the west Indian state of Haryana are angry over the government's decision not to buy sunflower seeds at the minimum support price (MSP). To protest the same,on Tuesday (June 6), they reportedly blocked National Highway-44 near Shahabad in the Kurukshetra district.
News outlets reported that Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) President Gurnam Singh Charuni called for a mass gathering at the highway, aiming to block it.
The farmers had asked the government to start procurement on an MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal, but the deadline expired on Monday.
Images and videos were shared on social media platforms which showed heavy police deployment and barricading. The farmers were seen at the Shahbad grain market in the morning.Local reports mentioned that after their talks with the government authorities failed, they decided to block the highway.
The crops had been damaged due to unseasonal rains in the state in March-April this year.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on May 31 deposited Rs 181 crore into the bank accounts of 67,758 farmers as compensation for the loss of their crops due to unseasonal rainfall in March-April.
Khattar said on Twitter, "Today, fulfilling the promise made to my farmer brothers, I have sent compensation of Rs 181 crore directly to their bank accounts through just one click, for their damaged crops."
"In March-April 2023, we had announced compensation for the crop damaged due to unseasonal rains in the month of May, under which today the compensation amount has been released to 67,758 farmers of the state," he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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