MP Farmers Protest: Thousands Gather In Bhopal With Food Backup, Hold Aarti, Pooja On Road; What's Their Demands

MP Farmers Protest: The farmers' agitation in Madhya Pradesh has intensified over the demands for the purchase of mung beans at 100 per cent Minimum Support Price (MSP). Earlier on Tuesday, thousands of farmers entered the outskirts of Bhopal and were camping near the Savarkar Bridge. The farmers have asserted that they will not vacate the space until their full demands are met, further demanding intervention from the centre.

As per the reports, the farmers are also considering marching to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's residence if their demands are not met. The farmers have arrived with food back-up and have also performed pooja activities at the protesting site. The administration on Tuesday announced that the schools and education institutes in the affected areas will remain closed.

State Seeks Centre's Intervention

The state government has also sought central intervention into the matter, as the state minister Aidal Singh Kansana has written a letter to the Union Agriculture Minister and former MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. In his letter, Kansana stated that the state produced approximately 8.06 lakh metric tonnes of mung beans between May 14 and July 3, while the procurement target so far is just 4.54 lakh metric tonnes.

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He further stated that this will prevent a large number of farmers from taking advantage of the MSP, seeking intervention from the centre. The farmers, under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), have announced that they will not budge until the government agrees to buy 100 per cent of the state's crop.

We Had No Choice: Farmers

"We have been mobilising for the past 20 days. After repeatedly conveying our concerns to the government and receiving no response, we had no choice but to protest. Farmers are unable to obtain a profitable price for their mung bean crop, and we have no choice but to go to the Chief Minister's residence," farmer leader Santosh Patwari said.

The farmers' organisations alleged that procurement delays, quantity limits, registration issues and frequent fertiliser shortages have become common in the state.

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