BHOPAL: A three-day farmers’ agitation in Bhopal over the procurement of moong at Minimum Support Price (MSP) ended after the Madhya Pradesh government agreed to procure up to 60 per cent of the crop in key producing districts. The agreement came after hours of negotiations on Wednesday and a tense day on the streets of the state capital, where protesting farmers broke through multiple layers of police barricades and marched towards the Chief Minister’s residence. Farmers had been demanding 100 per cent procurement of moong at MSP and changes in the fertiliser distribution system. The agitation intensified near Veer Savarkar Setu, where farmers had been camping. Protesters performed a havan seeking “good sense” for the government, while some farmers staged a semi-nude demonstration to press their demands. There were intermittent confrontations with police through the day, but the situation became particularly tense around 4 pm when protesters decided to move towards the Chief Minister’s residence. Police had positioned buses, dumpers and several layers of barricades to stop the march. Farmers climbed on buses and dismantled barricades, eventually crossing four layers of security despite repeated appeals from police to maintain peace.

One of the dramatic moments came when Additional Commissioner Monica Shukla stood in front of a police bus as protesters attempted to move the vehicle out of their way. She used herself as a shield to prevent the bus from being pushed forward. The farmers eventually left the vehicle and continued their march on foot. After crossing Veer Savarkar Setu, the protesters reached Board Office Square and later moved towards Roshanpura Square. Heavy rain was falling by then, and the group stopped there while waiting for more farmers to join the protest. Security was simultaneously strengthened at Banganga Square, around 500 metres from the Chief Minister’s residence, where additional barricades, dumpers and police personnel were deployed. While the protest continued outside, farmer representatives and government officials were holding negotiations at the Secretariat. A significant development during the talks was a letter from Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. According to the report, the Centre had approved procurement of moong under the PM-AASHA scheme, while the Madhya Pradesh government could purchase quantities beyond the prescribed limit using its own funds.

After nearly three hours of discussions, the state government agreed to procure up to 60 per cent of the moong crop in districts including Narmadapuram, Sehore and Harda. Procurement will be capped at around three quintals per acre. Farmers will be allowed to book slots until August 10, while the procurement process will continue until August 20. Another important decision concerned fertiliser distribution, with the government agreeing to suspend the e-token system. The announcements finally broke the deadlock and farmer representatives decided to call off the agitation. The administration cleared the demonstration site late at night after the agreement was reached. The protest had put considerable pressure on the government as farmers continued their agitation despite heavy police deployment and rain in Bhopal. The decision on moong procurement in Madhya Pradesh now gives farmers a higher procurement limit, although their original demand had been for the entire crop to be purchased at MSP. With slot booking and procurement deadlines now fixed, attention will shift to implementation in the affected districts and how quickly farmers are able to sell their produce under the revised arrangement.