Bargarh/Attabira: Farmers in Bargarh district intensified their protest Saturday against alleged mismanagement in the ongoing kharif paddy procurement process, prompting the police to detain at least 60 protesters after they blocked a national highway. Although nearly two months have passed since the process began in the district, farmers allege that serious irregularities persist. Many cultivators are yet to be registered for paddy sale, while several others have not received procurement tokens. Delay in lifting paddy from mandis and allegations of illegal deductions have further aggravated farmers’ grievances.
Angered by the lack of corrective action, members of the Jai Kisan Andolan held a meeting on the Attabira mandi premises Saturday morning. Later, protesters moved to National Highway 53 and staged a road blockade for a brief period. Police intervened and detained around 60 protesting farmers, taking them to the Bargarh Reserve Police and Bargarh Rural police stations. The farmers were released around 5pm. The protest was held as part of a pre-announced programme.
The meeting at the mandi began around 10am under the chairmanship of Jai Kisan Andolan district president Sushil Kumar Sahu. Several farmer leaders, including Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti (POKSSS) convenor Lingaraj, Jai Kisan Andolan secretary Hara Bania, and senior farmer leaders Shiba Prasad Pradhan, Mahadev Pradhan, Arun Pradhan, Jitu Behera, Bhanjan Barik and others, addressed the gathering. Speakers strongly criticised both the state and Central governments for what they described as systemic failures in paddy procurement.
Addressing the meeting, Lingaraj said farmers were uncertain whether they would be able to sell their harvested paddy under the current procurement mechanism. He alleged that rice millers had suspended paddy lifting for three days beginning January 5 and were now lifting only limited quantities after one of their demands was accepted. However, he claimed that millers had given the state government a 15-day deadline to meet their remaining demands, raising fears of another round of agitation. In such a situation, Lingaraj called upon farmers to prepare for a large-scale movement similar to the 2001 farmers’ agitation to press for their rights.
At around 1:15pm, farmers left the meeting venue and proceeded to NH 53 to stage a symbolic one-hour blockade. Police detained the protesters shortly after they sat on the highway. Lingaraj warned that if the state government failed to provide procurement tokens to all farmers and ensure speedy purchase of harvested paddy within the next seven days, the agitation would be intensified further.