Protest over sunflower MSP: Farm leader Chaduni arrested, remanded in judicial custody

Police have charged the arrested leaders for the alleged rioting, unlawful assembly, obstructing any public servant in the discharge of his public functions, disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant and assault or use of criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty. Chaduni and a few others were produced before a local court there Wednesday. The court sent them to judicial custody for 14 days. According to sources, nearly two dozen farmers detained were released Tuesday night while nine including Chaduni were formally arrested in connection with the road blockade.

Farmer leaders from Haryana have given an ultimatum to the government to release Chaduni by June 12 or face an agitation. In a meeting held Wednesday evening, the farmer leaders decided to hold a rally at Pipli (Kurukshetra) on June 12 to seek procurement of sunflower crop at MSP rate, release of arrested farmers and withdrawal of the FIR lodged against the protesters. Pipli is the same place where the farmers had announced a rally in September 2020 too to raise their voice against three contentious farm laws. Then, a police lathicharge on the protesters had brought the issue of three farm laws to the spotlight in the country. This time, the farmer leaders have named the Pipli event as “MSP do-kisan bachao rally”.

Upset with the lathicharge on protesters in Kurukshetra, the farmers in several parts of the state staged protests apart from blocking the roads for some time on Tuesday night. They sat on a dharna on Shahbad-Ladwa on Wednesday while raising slogans against the BJP-JJP government.

One among the slogans was “kisan ekta karta hai– marne se nahi darta hai” (the farmers are united, they don’t fear death).

Senior farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, who also reached Shahbad, said: “We will tell the country that the sticks are given when the farmers seek (fair) prices of their crops. The farmer of the country will raise this issue.” When asked about the allegations against the arrested farmers for damage to the government property, Tikait said: “They have been lathicharged. Where did the government property stand damaged? Which government property has been damaged?”

Meanwhile, Wednesday evening, the farmers leaders from different parts of the state held a meeting to discuss the current situation and their next strategy. The farmers claimed that the government was not buying sunflower seeds even at the MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal—which was declared in 2022, and as a result, they were being forced to sell their produce to private buyers at around Rs 4,000 per quintal.

On the other hand, the government sources say that a financial aid of Rs 1,000 per quintal is being offered to the farmers apart from the market rate of Rs 4,800 per quintal. JJP MLA from Shahbad Ramkaran Kala—who has announced to resign from the post of chairman of Haryana Sugarfed (Haryana State Federation of Cooperative Sugar Mills Ltd) if the demands of farmers are not met within 24 hours—says the farmers were facing a loss of Rs 600 per quintal in the absence of sunflower crop’s procurement at the rate of MSP.

Meanwhile, the central government Wednesday announced to increase the MSP of sunflower from Rs 6400 per quintal to Rs 6760 per quintal for the marketing season 2023-24.