Why 2,000 farmers, carrying bedding, utensils, are marching toward Bhopal
What's the story
Nearly 2,000 farmers from Madhya Pradesh have reached the outskirts of Bhopal in a massive protest after breaking through police barricades at the city's southern edge. The farmers, under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) banner, are demanding full procurement of their moong crop at Minimum Support Price (MSP). They also want long-standing issues related to fertilizer distribution to be resolved. The protest started in Narmadapuram and continued despite police barricades at several points.
Protest details
Leader: Farmers mobilized for over 20 days
Farmers' associations note that while the Centre has declared 100% MSP procurement for tur, urad, and masur, moong procurement continues to be governed by the Price Support Scheme.
Currently, procurement under PSS is generally capped at 25% of a state's estimated production, leaving most to be sold in the open market at lower prices.
Santosh Patwari, a farmer leader, said they had mobilized for over 20 days and had no option but to protest after not hearing from the government.
Farmers
'Marching to surround CM's residence'
The farmers are carrying with them bags of grain, rolled-up bedding, cooking utensils, and enough food to last a week.
One of the farmer outfit leaders, Arun Patel, stated that the farmers will continue to protest until their demands are met.
"We are marching to surround the Chief Minister's residence. We were given an assurance that he would meet us, but later we were told that he had gone to Delhi. However, he was in Datia for...election campaign," Patel alleged.
Rural unrest
Larger discontent among farmers in rural MP
The protest also highlights a larger discontent among farmers in rural Madhya Pradesh.
They have been facing issues like procurement delays, quantity caps, registration problems, and fertilizer shortages.
These problems have forced many farmers into distress sales despite good production.
The agitation is a political challenge for Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's government, which recently revised its land-pooling policy after farmer protests in Ujjain.
Official response
State government asks central government to increase procurement
Farmers' associations have also accused the authorities of attempting to block supporters from reaching Bhopal by putting barriers on highways leading out of villages in districts such as Raisen, Vidisha, Harda, Narmadapuram, and Budhni.
However, the administration said police deployment was to maintain law and order.
It assured that they were talking to farmers to address their demands peacefully.