Farmers block Delhi-Chandigarh highway, traffic diverted at Kurukshetra

MSP Dilao, Kisan Bachao Mahapanchayat, called by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) faction, was held at Pipli grain market on National Highway-44 and participants gathered on the highway in the afternoon, driving Haryana Police to divert traffic; Kurukshetra DC says efforts on to restore traffic movement

Farmers blocked traffic on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway (National Highway 44) on Monday after holding a mahapanchayat at Pipli grain market in Kurukshetra district to press for minimum support price for sunflower seeds.

Traffic came to a standstill in Kurukshetra on the arterial Delhi-Chandigarh highway on Monday after protesting farmers descended on NH-44 in support of their demands. The farmers had gathered earlier to hold a mahapanchayat at Pipli grain market over their demand for MSP for sunflower seeds. (HT Photo)

The MSP Dilao, Kisan Bachao Mahapanchayat, called by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) faction, was held near NH-44 and participants gathered on the highway in the afternoon, forcing Haryana Police to divert traffic from other routes.

Officials said traffic from Delhi has been diverted at Sector 2/3 at Kurukshetra and commuters can travel via Brahmasarovar, Kurukshetra University Gate Number 3 and take NH-152 D to reach their destinations.

Similarly, commuters heading from Chandigarh to Delhi have been advised to avoid the Aman Hotel flyover and turn left below the flyover for Saha and travel via Dosarka, Adhoya, Babain, Ladwa, Indri and Karnal before returning to NH-44 for their onward journey to the national capital.

Kurukshetra deputy commissioner Shantanu Sharma said that the administration had called farmer leaders for talks but they were adamant about their demands and later blocked the highway. “We are taking up their issues with the higher authorities so that traffic movement can be restored,” he said.

At the mahapanchayat, farmer leader Karam Singh Mathana said the local administration had assured them of a meeting with chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar to discuss their demands. “But now they say the chief minister has left Karnal. Because of this, the local committee which had organised the mahapanchayat decided to block NH-44 till our demands are met,” Mathana said.

The chief minister was at Karnal to attend a Jan Samvaad, his outreach programme, on Monday morning.

On Saturday, he had released ₹29.13 crore as interim compensation to 8,528 farmers for sunflowers grown on 36,414 acres. The farmers are demanding that the state government procure sunflowers at an MSP of ₹6,400 per quintal. Under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana -- price difference payment scheme -- the state government is giving ₹1,000 per quintal as interim support for sunflower crop sold below the MSP.

On June 6, farmers led by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni blocked NH-44 near Shahbad, demanding that the government procure sunflower seeds at minimum support price. Police had used water cannons and resorted to lathicharge to disperse the protesters. Later, nine BKU (Charuni) leaders, including its president, were arrested on various charges, including rioting and unlawful assembly.

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, who attended the mahapanchayat on Monday, said the government should procure sunflower seeds on MSP and the farmer leaders arrested in Shahbad should be released.