Haryana farmers block NH-22 as they held a rally against the Centre’s farm ordinances

Last updated on February 15th, 2023 at 12:38 pm

On Thursday, farmers from Haryana held a protest and blocked the National Highway-22 highway at Pipli, Kurukshetra district against three farm ordinances brought by the Central Government in June, 2020.

Amid Covid-19 cases spike in the nation, the Haryana Home and Health ministers urged the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), to cancel the protest either face charges under the Epidemic Act and the Disaster Management Act. However, the farmers ignored the warning of state and district administration and marched towards the demonstration ground in Pipli.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) said that the police used lathicharge to disperse the protesters. However, according to the authorities, mild steps were to be taken as the protesters blocked the expressway that connects Delhi to Ambala.

As cited in The Hindu Business Line, The Three ordinances that the farmers are protesting against are; 1. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020, 2. The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, and 3. The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020.

While the government has stated that the statutes will build an environment where traders and farmers will have a free choice in purchase and sale, but the farmers claim that with these reforms, the administration was intending to stop the MSP policy.

Presently the protesting farmers have declared that they will sit on strike from September 15 for five days and if their demands are not met, then they will block all streets of the state on Sept 20, The Indian Express reported.

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