Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari on Monday, 5 October 2026, alleged that the state government was preparing to physically block farmers from entering Bhopal by erecting barricades and security infrastructure at 16 major entry and exit points of the state capital, rather than engaging with their grievances. Patwari claimed the administration had drawn lessons from the Delhi farmers' agitation and was planning to deploy concrete blocks, containers, barbed wire, temporary barricades, and containment zones.

What Congress Alleged

According to Patwari, the Madhya Pradesh government had studied the arrangements used during the farmers' protest in Delhi and was replicating a similar containment strategy at key access points into Bhopal. He said the government should instead establish 16 divisional-level farmer solution centres — one for each entry point being barricaded. 'Instead of putting up barricades at 16 entry points, the government should establish 16 divisional-level farmer solution centres,' he said. He added that when farmers arrive at the capital with their problems, the government's duty is to listen, not to devise strategies to stop them.

Rainfall Deficit and Agrarian Distress

Patwari cited official data to underscore the scale of the agrarian crisis. He said Madhya Pradesh received 908.4 mm of rainfall between 1 June and 30 September against the seasonal normal of 949.5 mm. Western Madhya Pradesh recorded roughly 11 per cent less rainfall than normal. The Indore division faced a sharper shortfall, receiving 639.70 mm against its normal average of 952.20 mm — a deficit of nearly 33 per cent. The Congress leader said the rainfall shortfall had hit crops, and the Agriculture Department was reportedly preparing a contingency plan in response.

Irrigation and Power Failures

Beyond rainfall, Patwari raised concerns about crumbling irrigation infrastructure. He claimed the nearly 40-year-old unlined canals of the Sanjay Sarovar Project were damaged and no longer functional. He also flagged that water supply to tail-end areas of the Pench Diversion Project had been given a deadline of November 2027. 'Farmers need water today, but the government is giving them a date in 2027. This is the height of insensitivity towards farmers,' he said. Power shortages affecting agricultural feeders were also cited as a major concern.

Congress Demands

Patwari laid out a set of specific demands on behalf of the farming community. These include special crop-loss surveys in 30 districts, compensation for affected farmers, effective implementation of the Minimum Support Price (MSP), a publicly announced schedule for releasing water for rabi crops, and replacement of damaged transformers within 48 hours. He also demanded 10 to 12 hours of three-phase electricity supply for agricultural feeders. He called for the immediate withdrawal of the proposed barricading and containment plan.

Congress Warning to the Government

Patwari warned that the Congress would stand firmly with farmers and raise their issues 'from the streets to the Assembly' if the government attempted to suppress their democratic right to protest. This comes amid broader discontent in the agrarian belt of central India, where erratic monsoons and inadequate support prices have compounded rural distress. The state government had not issued an official response to Patwari's allegations at the time of reporting.