Delhi-Haryana Highway Blocked By Protesting Farmers

Farmers protest highlights: Delhi-Chandigarh Highway blocked

• Farmers gathered in Kurukshetra to hold Mahapanchyat over their demand for Minimum Support Price for sunflower seed, out on roads in the city.
• In Haryana, farmers are adamant on the issue of procuring sunflower crop on MSP. In the past, farmers demanding MSP were lathi charged in Shahabad, Kurukshetra.
• A case was registered against the farmers for blocking the highway on June 6 and top leaders have also been sent to jail.
• "We are not blocking the highway. It is not right, highways should not be blocked, said farmer leader Rakesh Tikait in Haryana's Kurukshetra

• Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday digitally released Rs 29.13 crore as a interim payment to 8,528 sunflower farmers under the Bhavantae Bharpai Yojna.
• The farmers were demanding a minimum support price of Rs 6,400 per quintal for their produce.
• During the Mahapanchayat, farmer leader Karam Singh Mathana, mentioned that the local administration had promised them a meeting with CM Manohar Lal Khattar to discuss their demands. However, they were later informed that the CM had already left Karnal. Because of this, the local committee which had organised the mahapanchayat decided to block the National Highway-44 till our demands are met.
• "The national highway has not been jammed. At 7pm, we will hold a meeting of farmers to take a decision on a further plan of action," said farmer leader Rakesh Tikait.
• "We have given time till 10pm to the state government to agree to our two demands - MSP on sunflower seeds and release of detained farmers," said Haryana farmer leader Suresh Kauth at Kurukshetra