The Haryana government on Tuesday agreed to increase the minimum support price (MSP) for sunflower seeds amid protests by farmers in Kurukshetra. This comes after the farmers met state government officials to raise their demands.
“Haryana government has always stood in support of the farmers. The CM has agreed to increase MSP for sunflower crops,” Kurukshetra Divisional Commissioner Shantanu Sharma told reporters. He added the protesting farmers have been assured of an appropriate price for sunflower crops.
#WATCH | Haryana government has always stood in support of the farmers. CM has agreed to increase MSP for sunflower crop: Kurukshetra DC Shantanu Sharma pic.twitter.com/LrhulYUyR5— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2023
Following the meeting, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait told reporters that they were ending their protest. “The blocked roads will be opened today. We were protesting so that our crops are purchased at MSP. We will keep fighting for MSP across the country. Our leaders will also be released soon. Cases filed against our leaders will be taken back,” Tikait said.
#WATCH | We are ending our protest. The blocked roads will be opened today. We were protesting so that our crops are purchased at MSP. We will keep fighting for MSP across the country. Our leaders will also be released soon. Cases filed against our leaders will be taken back:… pic.twitter.com/TXfYZGGMwn— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2023
On June 6, farmers led by BKU (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni blocked the national highway-44, connecting Delhi with Chandigarh, near Shahabad in Kurukshetra demanding that the government procure sunflower seeds at MSP. Police used water cannons and batons to disperse the protesters. Later, nine BKU (Charuni) leaders, including its president, were arrested over various charges, including rioting and unlawful assembly.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Tikait had earlier said they held meetings with the district administration twice on Monday night but the talks did not yield any result. Tikait had said the issue of minimum support price for sunflower crops is not only affecting farmers in Haryana but the entire farmer community “as we are demanding an MSP law for all crops, as promised by the Union government when we withdrew the farmers’ agitation against the now repealed farm laws".
Apart from the MSP for sunflower seeds, the protesting farmers are demanding the release of nine farmer union leaders who were arrested during a protest at Shahabad recently.
(With PTI inputs)