Haryana: Farmer leaders intercept paddy trucks from UP amid procurement row

Charuni claimed that rice millers from Karnal were purchasing cheaper paddy from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand—where there is no government procurement—and selling it in Haryana mandis.

Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni and members of his union on Saturday stopped several trucks carrying paddy from Uttar Pradesh at the Haryana-UP border near Mangloura village on the Karnal–Shamli highway, alleging that the grain was being brought into Haryana for unauthorised sale in local mandis. Several trucks were sent back after being checked by the protesters.

Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni and members of his union on Saturday stopped several trucks carrying paddy from Uttar Pradesh at the Haryana-UP border near Mangloura village on the Karnal–Shamli highway. (HT)

Charuni claimed that rice millers from Karnal were purchasing cheaper paddy from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand—where there is no government procurement—and selling it in Haryana mandis. “This hurts local farmers who struggle to get MSP. We will raise the issue both in UP, for MSP procurement, and in Haryana, to stop this open loot,” he said.

The development came days after Charuni allegedly slapped Kurukshetra’s District Food and Civil Supplies Controller (DFSC) Rajesh Kumar during a protest over delayed paddy procurement. The incident took place on Wednesday at the Kurukshetra mini secretariat, where Charuni and his aides had gathered with their paddy-laden tractor-trolley. Officials, including DSP Ram Kumar, reached the site to pacify the agitators, but the situation escalated, leading to the alleged assault.

Charuni defended his act, claiming it stemmed from frustration over unaddressed grievances. “We are left with no options. I wrote to the Kurukshetra DC, chief minister, his OSD, CPS, the DFSC director and other officers to resolve our problems during the ongoing paddy procurement. Left with no option, I had to slap the DFSC,” he said.

He was briefly detained at the protest site and later released, though a case has been registered against him. The DFSC department has since demanded his arrest. “I was under police custody the same day. I even told them not to release me, but they did,” Charuni said while addressing the media in Karnal.