Haryana: Once Again, Khattar Government Bows Down to Farmer's Movement, Accepts All Demands

Farmers agitating in Kurukshetra, Haryana, are removing their concrete front with another victory. On the second day of jamming the National Highway, an agreement was reached between the farmers and the government. Farmers have called it the victory of their struggles. As a government representative, the Deputy Commissioner, while addressing the farmers, announced that their sunflower crop would be taken at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) (Rs. 6,400 per quintal). For this, along with increasing the rate in the mandis, the government will also increase the amount of Bhavantar. District SP Surendra Bhadauria also reached the protest site and said that the jailed farmers would be released after necessary action.

Once again, the farmers have won, and the government has to bow down. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in recent years, has been trying to show that its decision is irrevocable, it cannot be changed, but the farmers of the country are giving it a fight again and again.

After the government's assurance, there was a wave of happiness among the farmers sitting on the road in the scorching heat for the last two days. Farmers saw this as another victory as soon as the Deputy Commissioner appealed to the farmers and asked them to end their protest. After this, the farmer leaders clearly told what happened to them. After which, the protesters got up, and the farmers started raising their fronts while dancing to the tune of the DJ.

Deputy Commissioner Kurukshetra himself reached the site of the protest, GT Road Pipli and the significant demands of the farmers were that the farmer leaders Gurunam Singh Chadhuni and his companions would be released and sunflowers would be procured on MSP. After this, the protesters ended their protest.

Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said “that it was our movement to start procurement on MSP. We asked for the rate that the Prime Minister of the country announced. This fight was between the country's Prime Minister and the state's Chief Minister. We will fight on MSP even further, and as per the announcement of the PM in the country, MSP will be taken by the farmers. There will have to be a significant movement in the country for MSP guarantee for other crops.

Rakesh Tikait clearly said that sunflower farmers would get the rate of MSP, and if not received, then the farmers are here. They are not hired, people.

Punjab's farmer leader Surjit Singh Phool said, “Sitting on the road in 50-degree temperature since yesterday, you have won this movement, it is a big thing, but it is not a final victory. The final victory will be when the MSP Guarantee Act will be implemented in the country.”

Surjit Phool further said, “It is a big thing that the officer had to give shape to the promise of giving MSP price to sunflower farmers. This was the semi-final match of the MSP fight across the country, which the farmers won.”

Speaking to NewsClick, Inderjit Singh, leader of the United Kisan Morcha and vice-president of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), said that the United Kisan Morcha and other organisations involved in this struggle fought with full force for more than a week. “Kisan Sabha congratulates everyone on this victory. This victory will also give a new twist to the farmers' movement going on across the country, “ he said.

Farmer leader Tejveer Singh expressed happiness over the victory of the farmers. Still, he questioned the state's BJP government and CM Khattar's intention. He said, “When he had to accept the farmers' demands, why did he torture them? Why were the farmers made to sit on the open road in the scorching heat? Why were ordinary people harassed? What is going on after all? Is the government confused, or did it want to trouble the farmers?”

He said, “Even after all this, the farmers have won this with their patience and determination and will win their future struggle. But the governments should give their rights to the farmers in advance. Even today, they have given it. If they can give the farmers the price of their crop in any way, they should give it through MSP or by conversion. It is not right to bring farmers on the road again and again like this.”

Let us tell you that farmers in Haryana, under the leadership of Chadhuni, were demanding to purchase sunflower seeds at the MSP announced by the government. For which he had given the government time till June 5. But when this did not happen, the farmers took to the road on June 6, after which the police barbarically lathi-charged the agitating farmers in Shahbad and arrested several leaders, including Gurunam Singh Chadhuni and took them into custody for 14 days. 

This incident enraged farmers across the country, and after this, farmers across the state started road blockades. After this, a joint mahapanchayat was called on June 12.

The local committee of the movement announced at the end of the mahapanchayat that the farmers would start an indefinite strike on the main road. And a colossal convoy started from Mandi, and picketing started on the highway. After this, the local administration started talks on behalf of the government.