Locked Collectorate Gate Sparks Farmers’ Protest And Highway Blockade In MP’s Barwani

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Farmers under the banner of the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh staged a protest in Barwani on Monday after finding the Collectorate gate closed and no official available to receive their memorandum.

Farmers first gathered at the Agricultural Produce Market on Rajghat Road and held a meeting. They later travelled to the Collectorate in tractors, trolleys, and motorcycles, raising slogans and carrying placards.

They wanted to meet the collector and submit their demands, but became agitated when they found the gate locked.

The protesters then parked tractors and trolleys on the Khandwa-Baroda State Highway and Sendhwa National Highway, blocking traffic for around 20 minutes. They also sat on the road and raised slogans against the administration.

SDM Bhupendra Singh Rawat, tehsildar Rahul Solanki and police officials reached the spot and held discussions with the protesters. The farmers eventually submitted their memorandum to Rawat.

Their demands include implementing the Swaminathan Commission recommendations, procuring crops at MSP, reducing prices of fertilisers, seeds and irrigation equipment, releasing water into canals, repairing damaged canals, and compensating for crops damaged by excessive rainfall.

The farmers warned of a larger agitation at the district headquarters on Dec 1 if their demands are not addressed. Rawat said the memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister would be forwarded to the government.