Thousands of Farmers Block Highways Across MP in Congress-Led 'Chakka Jaam'; Demand MSP Guarantee, Loan Waiver and Crop Insurance Rights

Bhopal- Thousands of farmers descended on major highways across Madhya Pradesh on Thursday as the state Congress party organised a large-scale road blockade/chakka jaam to press the ruling BJP government on a raft of long-pending agrarian demands. From Gwalior and Guna in the north to Indore in the west, farmers gathered at towns, villages and highway stretches, sitting on roads in a mass satyagraha, placing their grain and produce on the ground as a symbolic act of protest.

The agitation affected a highway corridor spanning approximately 747 kilometres within the state. As part of the protest, the Congress party along with farmers' organisations staged a chakka jaam on the Mumbai-Agra National Highway (NH-3) beginning at 11 AM. Key locations included Morena, Bhind, Gwalior, Datia, Shivpuri, Guna, Ashoknagar, Shajapur, Dewas, Rajgarh, Ujjain, Sehore, Vidisha, Bhopal, Indore, Dhar, Khargone, Khandwa, Burhanpur, Barwani, Alirajpur and Jhabua.

Patwari Leads Protest at Shajapur; Issues Warning to Mohan Yadav Government

State Congress president Jitu Patwari led the demonstration at the Rojwas toll plaza in Shajapur district. He alleged that farmers at mandis are facing serious difficulties, the token system is not functioning properly and there are irregularities in Bhavantar (price deficiency) payments. Patwari issued a clear warning that if these problems are not resolved immediately, the agitation will be intensified.

Patwari also said it was "ironic" that despite Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan hailing from Madhya Pradesh, the state's farmers were facing acute injustice. Speaking at a 'Kisan Aakrosh Satyagraha', he declared: "The country's agriculture minister comes from Madhya Pradesh, yet the worst atrocities are being committed against farmers here."

Farmers who gathered at protest sites across the state raised four central demands: a statutory guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP), complete debt waiver, exemption from electricity bills, and the right to timely crop insurance payments.

Congress alleged that while the government talks about an MSP of ₹2,700 per quintal for wheat, farmers are being forced to sell at ₹1,800 to ₹2,200 per quintal, a gap of up to ₹900 per quintal that protesters say is financially devastating. The leaders also alleged that wheat procurement is being conducted on a limited scale, leaving large quantities of wheat unsold with farmers who are unable to secure fair prices. Patwari said the government has similarly failed to address issues related to paddy procurement, fertiliser shortages, and agricultural equipment.

Patwari strongly criticised the government for a massive shortage of gunny bags needed for wheat procurement. He said while 100 million bags were required for 2026, the state government had requisitioned only 26 million, a shortfall of nearly 75 million bags. He also cited a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, alleging that 50 per cent of funds allocated for farmers remained unutilised, raising questions about the government's intentions.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has rejected the Congress allegations, saying procurement is transparent and farmer-friendly. The state government has described the protest as a political exercise.