By Special Correspondent
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jeetu Patwari on Tuesday led a symbolic protest march carrying a sack of grain on his shoulder, accompanied by hundreds of farmers, from the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) office to the residence of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The demonstration was organised to highlight the long-pending demands of farmers, particularly the need for fair Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for their crops.
Patwari asserted that farmers no longer want “Bhavantar” (price difference compensation) but the real “Bhav” (price). He criticised both the central and state governments for their alleged failure to deliver on promises made to farmers. “Prime Minister Modi had guaranteed MSPs of ₹3,100 per quintal for paddy, ₹2,700 for wheat, and ₹6,000 for soybean. Yet, not even a single crop has received these rates,” he said.
Citing recent farmer suicides in Khandwa, Mahidpur, Tarana and Ujjain, Patwari held the government responsible for “criminal neglect” of the agrarian sector. He accused Chief Minister Mohan Yadav of indulging in “lavish helicopter travel and events” while farmers suffer under mounting debts.
Patwari demanded that the government:
Implement effective crop insurance and compensation through proper surveys.
Purchase onions at ₹14–15 per kg instead of offering Bhavantar.
Ensure MSP of ₹6,000 for soybean, ₹2,700 for wheat, and ₹3,100 for paddy.
Provide ₹20,000 per bigha as direct financial support to farmers.
The march witnessed slogans against the “anti-farmer policies” of the government. Senior Congress leaders, including Dr Mukesh Nayak, Dharmendra Singh Chouhan, Nitin Rathore, and numerous farmer representatives, joined the protest, vowing to continue the agitation until the government acts.
