Farmers in Haryana blocked National Highway 44, which leads to Jammu and Kashmir, at Pipli in Kurukshetra on Monday to pressure the state government into procuring sunflower seeds at the minimum support price (MSP).

They also demanded the release of their leaders, arrested last week in connection with the continuing protest.

This is the second time in a week the farmers have blocked the national highway over the failure of Haryana’s BJP government to procure sunflower seeds at the MSP. The decision to block the highway a second time was taken at a mahapanchayat in Pipli on Monday morning.

Wrestler Bajrang Punia addressed the mahapanchayat, responding in kind to the farmers’ support for the wrestlers’ agitation to have BJP parliamentarian and outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh arrested on sexual harassment charges.

The farmers are demanding the MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal whereas the state government has made an interim payment of Rs 1,000 per quintal for sunflower seeds under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana, a price deficit compensation scheme.

Given the pressure on Punjab and Haryana farmers to diversify from water-intensive rice cultivation — which they do for assured procurement at MSP — the farmers contend that they have no reason to grow sunflower for such a low price.

Farmer leaders from western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab have joined the protest to keep the leaderless movement from losing steam.

Throughout the day, there were attempts to break the impasse with the administration engaged in discussions with some farmer leaders. However, there appeared to be no breakthrough till late evening as the farmers prepared for the long haul.