Police lathi-charge protesting farmers as they block Delhi-Chandigarh highway, Congress slams Haryana govt

The Haryana Police used water cannons to disperse the farmers blocking the highway in Kurukshetra. The protesting farmers claimed that the state government was not buying sunflower seeds at the MSP.

Farmers in Kurukshetra blocked the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway to protest the Haryana government's decision not to buy sunflower seeds at the minimum support price (MSP). The police resorted to using water cannons and lathi-charge to disperse the agitating farmers.

Protesting farmers said that the state government was not purchasing sunflower seeds at the MSP, forcing them to sell their output to private customers at roughly Rs 4,000 per quintal, as opposed to Rs 6,400 at the MSP. They requested that the government purchase sunflower seeds at the MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal.

When their demands were not fulfilled, the farmers blocked the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway in Kurukshetra on Tuesday. The police then lathi-charged the crowd to clear the road.

Reacting to the farmers protest, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said, "Modi ji had said that an MSP law will be brought, so where is it? Neither there is an MSP law nor the farmer is getting MSP. When the farmers protest they only get lathi-charged? Is the government and police working only to beating the farmers and disrespecting them?"

Another Congress leader Deepender Hooda said, "We will raise this issue in the upcoming session of Parliament. The slogan of 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan' is now 'Mare Kisaan, Pite Kisaan, Jai Dhanwaan'."

Farmers in numerous other towns, including Sonipat, Gohana, and Rohtak, blocked roads and highways in Haryana in retaliation to police using lathi-charge to remove agitators in Kurukshetra. The agitating farmers raised slogans against the Haryana government.