Blocked Highway in Pipli as Farmers and District Administration Fail to Reach Agreement on MSP Demand

Farmers in Pipli, Haryana's Kurukshetra district, continued their protest for a second day by blocking the national highway. They are demanding a fair Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sunflower seeds. Rakesh Tikait, a leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), urged the state government to meet their demands or arrest the farmers. Despite several rounds of talks with the district administration, no progress has been made.

The protesting farmers have blocked National Highway-44, which connects Delhi and Chandigarh, as well as other routes. Tikait mentioned that they held meetings with the district administration on Monday night, but no resolution was reached. Additional discussions between the administration and farmers are scheduled for Tuesday.

Due to the ongoing deadlock, some farmers have set up tents on the highway to protect themselves from the scorching heat. Tikait emphasized that the farmers will not end their protest until their demands are met or they are imprisoned.

Apart from the MSP issue, the farmers are also demanding the release of nine union leaders who were recently arrested during a protest. The district administration is trying to persuade the farmers to end the blockade and is hopeful for a resolution. However, a fresh case has been registered against the protesters for blocking the national highway.

The protest, called "MSP Dilao, Kisan Bachao Mahapanchayat," was attended by leaders from various khaps, Tikait, and Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia. Farmers from Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan also participated. The farmers' occupation of both carriageways has caused inconvenience to commuters.

In response to the demands, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar released interim compensation to some farmers for sunflowers grown on their land. However, the farmers are demanding the government procure sunflower seeds at an MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal. They insist on a law guaranteeing MSP for all crops, as promised by the Union government.