BHOPAL — Madhya Pradesh Congress on Tuesday announced a statewide ‘mahachakka jam’ (roadblock) on May 7 over farmers’ issues, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party government maintained that wheat procurement at Minimum Support Price is proceeding smoothly.
State Congress president Jitu Patwari announced while addressing a farmers’ programme in Budhni, the hometown of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in Sehore district on Tuesday.
He said the party would organise a large-scale road blockade along the Agra-Bombay National Highway if the alleged injustice against farmers is not addressed.
He said that if the injustice against farmers is not stopped immediately, the Congress will organise a massive road blockade from the Maharashtra border to Rajasthan on May 7.
Patwari said the protest will pass through several districts, including Sendhwa, Barwani, Khargone, Dhar, Dewas, Shajapur, Guna, Rajgarh, Shivpuri, Morena and Gwalior.
The announcement comes amid a political row between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav over farmers’ issues, particularly wheat procurement.
Wheat procurement for the ongoing Rabi marketing season is underway across the state. The Centre has recently increased Madhya Pradesh’s procurement quota to 100 lakh metric tonnes in view of higher production and arrivals. The state government has said procurement is being carried out properly and in the interest of farmers.
However, the Congress has alleged problems in the process. Patwari claimed that farmers are facing shortages of fertiliser, a lack of gunny bags, delays at mandis, and issues with slot booking systems.
He also alleged that farmers are not getting the expected Minimum Support Price. He said that the government talks about a Minimum Support Price of Rs 2,700 per quintal, but farmers are being forced to sell at Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,200 per quintal.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has rejected these allegations, saying procurement is transparent and farmer-friendly. The issue is likely to remain a key political point in the coming days, with the Congress planning its May 7 protest. – -IANS
