New Delhi: Traffic has resumed on National Highway 44 in Haryana after farmers’ protest which lasted for more than 21 hours came to an end. These farmers were protesting for the demand of early purchase of paddy. After the state government relented, the farmers announced to end the protest. Following this the police lifted the blockade.

The state government has issued a statement saying that it will start shifting all the paddy stored in the grain markets although the official procurement documents will be processed on October 1, as announced earlier.

Protest lasted for 21 hours

Haryana farmers, who blocked a major national highway for over 21 hours demanding early procurement of paddy, lifted the blockade after the state government relented. Traffic was disrupted on National Highway 44 around Kurukshetra due to the protests.

The state has now said it will start moving all paddy stored in grain markets. Although the official procurement documents will be processed on October 1, as announced earlier. The organization Bharatiya Kisan Sangh-Chaduni, led by Gurnam Singh Chaduni, was leading the protests. Chaduni said that now it is their headache as to where they will store it.

कुरूक्षेत्र: धान की सरकारी खरीद शुरू ना होने पर किसानों ने दिल्ली- अंबाला, राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग किया जाम pic.twitter.com/fFtw9s3kLH

— News24 (@news24tvchannel) September 23, 2022

State increased procurement limit

The state has also increased the procurement limit in five districts where the high yield of the crop is 22 to 30 quintals per acre, he said, adding that it has been increased to 28 quintals per acre in several other districts.

The Haryana government soon relented after being pulled up by a court for failing to anticipate the deteriorating law and order situation. The court told them that the highway should be kept open for free flow and movement of traffic without any hindrance “so that the public at large is not inconvenienced”.

‘Use of force should be the last resort’

In the midnight hearing, the Punjab and Haryana High Court said that the district administration should have taken immediate steps to prevent the situation. The court also advised the state to exercise caution while directing the state to prevent further deterioration of law and order. The court said that “recourse to the use of force should be the last resort, and that too unless the administration has no other option”.