Wrestler Bajrang Punia on Monday afternoon extended his support to farmers holding a maha panchayat in Kurukshetra, Haryana, who are demanding a minimum support price (MSP) on sunflower seed crops.
According to reports, traffic on Delhi-Chandigarh National Highway was disrupted on Monday afternoon due to the panchayat. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, however, claimed that they are not blocking the highway.
The "MSP dilao, Kisan bachao" mahapanchayat called by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) is being held at a grain market in Pipli close to National Highway-44 which was blocked by farmers a few days ago demanding that the government procure sunflower seed at the MSP.
#WATCH | We are not blocking the highway. It is not right, highways should not be blocked: Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait in Haryana's Kurukshetra pic.twitter.com/6XjMLzeRBu
— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2023
Justifying his participation, Punia told reporters today that the wrestlers too come from farmer families and stand in support with them.
"We have come here to support the farmers. Even we come from farmer families. We will stand with the farmers who are standing on the roads. We have supported farmers even during the farmers' protest and we will keep supporting them," Punia said.
VIDEO | Wrestler Bajrang Punia extended his support to farmers holding a 'mahapanchayat' in Pipli Mandi in Haryana's Kurukshetra earlier today. The farmers are demanding minimum support price (MSP) on sunflower seed crop. pic.twitter.com/rc1boxMsHT
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 12, 2023
Punia's declaration of support comes after Vinesh Phogat also joined the farmers' protest in Patiala on Sunday. Phogat and Punia are among India's top wrestlers who have been demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh over allegedly sexually harassing female grapplers.
The wrestlers were joined by farmer union leaders in their protest against Singh and had agreed to suspend their protest until May 15, after the government asked them to wait until the police completed its probe.
Farmers are gathered in Kurukshetra to hold a mahapanchayat over their demand for a minimum support price (MSP) for sunflower seeds. They have taken to the roads of the city, as seen in visuals published by ANI.
#WATCH | Haryana: Farmers gathered in Kurukshetra to hold Mahapanchyat over their demand for Minimum Support Price for sunflower seed, out on roads in the city. pic.twitter.com/DNU0S1Vgqe
— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2023
On June 6, a group of farmers, led by Gurnam Singh Charuni, the chief of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), staged a protest by blocking the national highway near Shahabad for more than six hours.
The police responded to the protest by employing water cannons and using force to disperse the demonstrators. Subsequently, nine leaders of BKU (Charuni), including the president, were arrested on charges such as rioting and unlawful assembly.
Addressing the maha panchayat, some farm leaders criticised the government for its "anti-farmers" policies and police actions against their leaders. They demanded that the government procure sunflower seeds at MSP and also requested the release of the protesters who were recently arrested in Shahabad.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday released Rs 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 Rs 6,400 per quintal.
Under Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana — price difference payment scheme — the state government is giving Rs 1,000 per quintal as interim support for sunflower crops sold below MSP.
With agency inputs.
(Edited by : Pradeep John)
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