Kurukshetra – On Wednesday the district witnessed a second uninterrupted day of paddy procurement, yet a large number of cultivators remained entangled in the red‑tape of gate‑pass clearance. Officials reported that 6,997 metric tonnes of paddy were bought across 13 of the 22 mandis operating in the region.
Hunger Strike Erupts at Thanesar Mandi
Ex‑village headman Rajendra Singh of Kaithla Khurd, fed up with the hold‑up, began an open‑ended fast outside the Thanesar Market Committee. He was soon flanked by members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who organized a day‑long rally to press their grievances.
Singh recounted that his harvested crop had been sitting idle in the market for about ten days, and that he had been making daily trips to the committee for the past four days to obtain a gate‑pass. He questioned why farmers should shoulder the burden of administrative delays when crop verification is a state responsibility.
Officials Vow Prompt Verification
The administration worked to calm the situation throughout the afternoon. 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 parcel had finally been concluded, assuring that no further hurdles should arise.
Nevertheless, farmer leaders warned that such bottlenecks have become a seasonal norm, forcing cultivators to battle for basic procurement services year after year. The demonstration continued well into the night.
Wider Significance
The incident highlights the mounting challenges faced by growers as the state’s paddy procurement drive intensifies. Ongoing disputes over crop verification and the compulsory gate‑pass system underscore the urgent need for a more streamlined, farmer‑centric approach.