Congress Road Blockade Triggers Traffic Chaos Across Madhya Pradesh

Farmers’ protest sees detentions, clashes and highway disruptions in several districts

A statewide road blockade called by the Congress over farmers’ issues disrupted traffic movement across several parts of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, with protests reported from Gwalior, Morena, Indore, Shajapur, Shivpuri, Guna and Khalghat. The agitation led to long vehicle queues on national highways, police detentions of party workers, and scattered confrontations between protesters and security personnel.

The Congress had announced the “chakka jam” to protest alleged delays in wheat procurement, slot booking problems and issues linked to crop payments. In many districts, protesters occupied highways and toll plazas from late morning, affecting commuters, transporters and families travelling for weddings or medical treatment.

Highways Witness Heavy Congestion

One of the biggest protests was reported at the Rozwas toll plaza in Shajapur district, around 15 km from the district headquarters. Congress workers from Ujjain, Dewas, Tarana and nearby areas gathered there from the morning hours. Traffic movement on the highway slowed significantly as demonstrators occupied portions of the road.

In Indore and Mhow, Congress workers blocked stretches of the AB Road and bypass, leading to traffic congestion stretching nearly 1.5 km at some locations. Passengers travelling towards Maharashtra remained stranded for hours, while several buses and heavy vehicles were halted due to diversions.

At Khalghat on the Mumbai-Agra National Highway, police diverted heavy vehicles and parked trucks at roadside dhabas and holding points to prevent complete gridlock. Temperatures crossed 42 degrees Celsius in the area during the protest hours.

Arrests In Gwalior, Morena

In Gwalior, police detained several Congress leaders and workers after protesters allegedly refused to clear National Highway-44 despite repeated warnings from the administration. Officials said the agitation did not have formal permission.

According to local authorities, SDM C. Prasad issued an announcement asking protesters to vacate the highway within two minutes. When the blockade continued, police removed demonstrators and shifted them to police stations.

A similar situation unfolded in Morena, where Congress workers blocked NH-44 for nearly an hour, although the party had initially declared a five-hour protest. Police later detained several leaders and workers and restored traffic movement gradually.

Additional SP Vidita Dagar said legal action would be taken against those involved in the unauthorised blockade.

Clashes And Heated Exchanges

Tense moments were reported from Bhind and Shajapur during the agitation. In Bhind, Congress leader Rahul Bhadauria was involved in a heated argument with a police constable over allowing a senior citizen’s vehicle to pass through the blockade area.

At Rozwas toll plaza in Shajapur, Congress workers and police personnel argued over the removal of a tractor stationed near the protest site. Congress leaders accused the administration of harassing farmers and protesters.

Police deployment remained heavy across sensitive protest points. In Shajapur alone, around 300 personnel, including 14 station in-charges, were deployed for law and order arrangements.

Travellers Face Difficulties

The agitation caused considerable inconvenience to travellers. In Guna, a wedding party heading towards a ceremony remained stuck in traffic for hours. Another family travelling from Nepal to Indore for medical treatment also reported delays due to the blockade.

In Mhow, commuters complained about being stranded in extreme heat, while some passengers were seen walking long distances after buses stopped operating on affected routes.

An ambulance briefly got caught in traffic in Indore before police and Congress workers cleared a path for it.

Truck drivers waiting on highways also expressed concern over delays in transporting goods. In Shivpuri, one driver was seen cooking food under his truck after being stranded for several hours.

Congress Targets State Government

State Congress president Jitu Patwari accused the BJP government of ignoring farmers’ concerns. Speaking at the Rozwas toll plaza, he said the agitation was only the “beginning” and warned of larger protests if procurement-related issues were not resolved.

Congress leaders alleged that wheat procurement centres were functioning poorly and farmers were being forced to wait for long periods due to failures in the token and slot booking system.

Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar later announced the withdrawal of the blockade at Khalghat after submitting a memorandum to district officials.

BJP Calls Protest Political

The BJP criticised the agitation, calling it politically motivated. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the blockade disrupted students appearing for Class 10 and 12 examinations and accused the Congress of creating unnecessary hardship for the public.

State BJP spokesperson Dhairyavardhan Singh claimed the government had already procured around 50 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and released payments worth thousands of crores to farmers. He alleged that the Congress was attempting to create confusion over procurement arrangements.

With most protest sites cleared by late afternoon, traffic movement gradually resumed on affected highways. However, the Congress has indicated that further protests may follow if farmer-related demands remain unresolved.