Ambala, October 17 (R. Singh):- Protesting against the government’s decision to impose a procurement cap of 26 quintals per acre on paddy, farmers today blocked Hisar Road outside the grain market in Ambala city under the banner of the Bhartiya Kisan Union Shaheed Bhagat Singh. They raised strong slogans against the government and the administration.
The farmers said that the crop had been good this year, but by imposing a procurement cap of 26 quintals per acre, the government had tightened its grip on farmers and was pushing them into distress. They said they had submitted applications and held meetings with government representatives on October 10 and 11, but received nothing beyond assurances. They suspected that the representatives did not have the authority to make decisions. The farmers demanded that paddy be procured at the rate of 35 quintals per acre and that unnecessary deductions be stopped.
In the morning, farmers first gathered at the city’s grain market and held discussions with officials. When no solution emerged, they blocked the Hisar Highway. The farmers had earlier given the administration until October 15 and 16 to resolve their demands and had decided to stage a protest on October 17. They said the government was merely offering assurances, while no solution was being found on the ground. They alleged that commission agents and rice millers were waiting for an opportunity to exploit farmers, purchasing paddy at ₹2,012 instead of ₹2,461. They warned that if the government did not remove the cap, farmers would suffer huge losses, and said the protest had been organised to prevent this exploitation. A farmer leader also pointed out several irregularities in the portal. During the protest, the farmers sat together and partook of langar.
As soon as the protest came to light, police reached the spot. Officials tried to pacify the farmers, but the protesters said they had already warned the government about the planned demonstration. They alleged that the government had failed to take their demands seriously, leaving them with no option but to block the Ambala–Hisar road.
At around 2:30 p.m., a meeting was held between the farmers and the administration. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) sought two days to resolve the issue, following which the farmers called off their protest.
