Watch: farmers seeking MSP for sunflower seed block Delhi-Chandigarh highway

Farmers on Monday blocked the Delhi-Chandigarh highway after holding a mahapanchayat in this district to press for minimum support price for sunflower seed.

The "MSP Dilao, Kisan Bachao mahapanchayat", called by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), was held at a grain market in Pipli close to National Highway-44. After the mahapanchayat the farmers gathered on the highway, blocking it. Police were diverting traffic from other routes.

At the mahapanchayat, farmer leader Karam Singh Mathana said the local administration had assured them of a meeting with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to discuss their demands. "But now they say the chief minister has left Karnal".

"Because of this, the local committee which had organised the mahapanchayat decided to block the National Highway-44 till our demands are met," Mathana said.

On June 6, farmers led by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) chief Gurnam Singh Charuni blocked National Highway-44 near Shahabad demanding that the government procure sunflower seeds at minimum support price. Police used water cannons and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters.

Later, nine BKU (Charuni) leaders, including its president, were arrested over various charges, including rioting and unlawful assembly.

Addressing the Mahapanchayat, Tiakit announced that the Samyukta Kisan Morcha would start a pan-India agitation if a law for MPS, "as promised by the Union government", is not brought.