Bhopal, Dec 1 (IANS) Over two thousand farmers from several districts of Madhya Pradesh staged a massive protest on Monday, blocking the vehicular movement on National Highway-52 for several hours to press for demands including farm loan waivers and procurement of crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Farmers in large numbers from Dhar, Khargone, Khandwa, and Barwani districts assembled early Monday morning to sit in protest at the Khalghat Toll Plaza in Dhar, blocking the vehicular movement, which prompted the deployment of local police and district administration officials.

Rameshwar Patidar, a farmer leader at the site, told the media that several farmer organisations extended their support for the demonstration to raise the grievances, such as MSP, compensation for damaged crops, and debt relief.

“In the past six months, we wrote several letters to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and requested a meeting to raise farmers’ issues. However, we didn’t receive any response from the CM. Now, we are left with no option but to hit the street to get our voice heard,” Patidar said.

The demonstration disrupted traffic on NH-52, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded for hours. During the protest, the farmers recited Hanuman Chalisa and chanted religious slogans while carrying posters and banners. Officials who arrived at the scene requested the farmers to call off the protest, promising to convey their message to senior authorities.

“Some government officials had come and requested to call off the protest, but we want it in writing. Such promises were made earlier also, but nothing has happened so far. We want any senior minister should come for a meeting here,” Patidar affirmed, rejecting the verbal assurances.

Following repeated requests from senior police officials, the farmers eventually agreed to clear one lane of the road for traffic flow, maintaining their protest on the other lane.

Heavy police forces have been deployed at the site to avert any untoward incident, according to officials.

Dhar Superintendent of Police (SP) Mayank Awasthi confirmed that traffic was disrupted earlier, but the situation was brought under control after farmers cleared one lane.

The farmers’ agitation commenced on the very first day of the Winter session of the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, which began in Bhopal on Monday amid an uproar from the Opposition Congress.

–IANS

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