KAITHAL: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) on Friday staged a day-long dharna at the District Secretariat in Kaithal, demanding that the Haryana government begin procurement of paddy and millet immediately or face an intensified agitation that could include a peaceful gherao of the Chief Minister’s residence.
Led by BKU (Charuni) Youth State President Vikram Kasana and District President Gurnam Singh Faral, the protesters sat from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., raised anti-government slogans and submitted a memorandum to the SDM, addressed to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
In the memorandum, the union told officials that the Centre’s policy of beginning paddy procurement on October 1 is outdated and harms farmers who now grow fast-maturing hybrid varieties. Vikram Kasana argued that while traditional varieties used to take 100–120 days to mature, most farmers now cultivate hybrids that are ready in 80–90 days, meaning arrivals at mandis begin in the second week of September. Delaying procurement forces growers to sell at distress prices and suffer heavy economic losses, he said.
The BKU also demanded immediate commencement of millet procurement, saying arrivals have already begun in the mandis and that current market prices are below the minimum support price (MSP). The union pressed the government to open the e-sheet supply portal by September 30 so farmers can register their lots for procurement without delay.
Farm leaders recalled that these issues were raised during talks with the Chief Minister on September 10, and warned that if procurement does not start at once, the union will escalate its protests “in a democratic and peaceful manner” — including the proposed gherao of the Chief Minister’s residence.
Prominent BKU figures who attended the dharna included State Vice-President Chamkaur Singh Cheeka, Mahabir Chahal, Kewal Singh Sidhu, Randhir Barsana, Gurbachan Harigarh, Subhash Badrana and a large contingent of local farmer leaders and activists.