Farmers halt traffic in Shahabad, demand smooth procurement

Demanding a hassle-free paddy procurement season, members of the BKU (Charuni) on Thursday blocked the National Highway-44 at Shahabad for nearly two hours.

The farmers first assembled at the Shahabad grain market, staged a dharna, and raised slogans against the alleged inaction of procurement agencies. Finding no assurance from the local administration, they moved to the highway around 3 pm, disrupting traffic on the main carriageway. Vehicles were diverted to the service road, where movement crawled at a snail’s pace.

BKU (Charuni) spokesman Rakesh Bains said, “The government had been claiming that it had advanced the procurement, but the rice millers were not participating and the transporters were yet to be engaged for lifting. Then how is the government ensuring a smooth process? The officials of procurement agencies and government departments are responsible for the mess.”

Union president Gurnam Singh Charuni accused rice millers of deliberately hampering the purchase. “The officials of the government agencies have been supporting rice millers by not taking action. They want to create a glut-like situation so that farmers are forced to sell below MSP, which is not acceptable,” he said.

After three rounds of talks, the blockade was lifted around 5.20 pm following an assurance from the Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner. Charuni told farmers, “The DC has assured that nearly 70 per cent of the stock at Shahabad mandi has been purchased, and lifting will continue smoothly. A meeting with higher officials and the state government will also be held soon to discuss a long-term policy. Since lifting has started, we have decided to withdraw the protest for today.”

He demanded FIRs against rice millers allegedly stocking paddy illegally and stressed the need for policy amendments to prevent such protests every year.

Meanwhile, SDM Shahabad Chinar Chahal said, “The issues at the local level have been resolved. As for demands related to policy matters, higher authorities will take a decision.”