According to the farmers’ body, a mega farmers’ strike in Haryana was lifted on Saturday morning after the demonstrators’ demands were met. The government is said to have agreed to buy the paddy in the mandis, and the yield ceiling per acre has been raised to 30 quintal. Traffic on the National Highway-22, which had been obstructed by the farmers, is said to have resumed.
“We had talks with the district administration, and they’ve ensured that paddy procurement will start immediately. As our demands have been met, we have decided to lift the blockade on the road,” Gurnam Singh Chaduni, president, the Bhartiya Kisan Union, was quoted.
“The stubborn government has surrendered in front of the farmers’ struggle, friends, you have won. The government has agreed to fill the paddy lying in the mandis and that what is expected to come. We will continue to struggle in the coming times too. Thanks to all,” he had said a tweet earlier as soon as the announcement was made.
He posted images of a standoff between cops and protesters on Friday. Protesters were seen lifting barriers amid massive chaos and a clash with cops in a video. “Farmers broke the barricades, NH1 is jammed until purchase arrives,” he tweeted.
Demonstrators were seen in large numbers on Kurukshetra’s GT Karnal Road, demanding that their paddy crops be procured immediately. Despite heavy rain in parts of north India over the last two days, this was the case.
“Traffic on the highway has been resumed and all the diversions have been removed. We have held talks with the farmers and the matter has been resolved amicably,” superintendent of police Surinder Singh Bhoria, said on Saturday.