Kurukshetra – Wednesday marked the second consecutive day of state‑run paddy procurement, yet a large share of farmers remained entangled in the gate‑pass red tape. Government data show that 6,997 metric tonnes of rice were purchased, but only at 13 of the 22 mandis that operate in the district.
Hunger Strike Ignites at Thanesar Market
Fed up with the stalemate, former sarpanch of Kaithla Khurd, Rajendra Singh, began an indefinite hunger strike outside the Thanesar Market Committee. He was soon backed by members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who organized a day‑long sit‑in to press for immediate action.
Singh told reporters that his freshly harvested paddy had been sitting idle in the market for about ten days, and that he had been making daily trips to the committee over the past four days to obtain a gate‑pass. He questioned why administrative holdups were being placed on the shoulders of cultivators when crop verification is a governmental duty.
Officials Promise Swift Verification
Authorities worked through the afternoon to calm the situation. Thanesar MLA Ashok Arora visited the protest site in the evening, and Market Committee Secretary Harjit Singh later announced that the verification of Singh’s 14‑acre holding had finally been concluded, pledging that no further hurdles would be raised.
Nevertheless, farmer representatives warned that such bottlenecks have become a seasonal regularity, forcing growers to wrestle with basic procurement services year after year. The demonstration continued well into the night.
Broader Implications
The incident highlights the mounting difficulties faced by growers as the state scales up its paddy procurement drive. Delays in crop verification and the compulsory gate‑pass system are fueling unrest, underscoring the urgent need for a more efficient, farmer‑centric mechanism.
