Chaos, Lathicharge, And A Helmeted MLA: Fertiliser Fury In Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is witnessing a massive uproar over a fertiliser shortage, with angry farmers clashing with authorities, and even an MLA forced to stand in line for hours in protest. From Bhind, Morena, and Sheopur to Rewa and Satna, disturbing visuals have surfaced of long queues, baton charges, and chaos at fertiliser centres.

A few days ago in Rewa, police resorted to lathicharge on farmers waiting in line for fertiliser, while in Satna, BJP MLA Pratima Bagri was reportedly forced to change her route due to protests by furious farmers.

But it is Shivpuri that has now become the epicentre of the controversy, thanks to a viral image of Congress MLA Kailash Kushwaha, seen wearing a helmet and standing in line for fertiliser tokens like a common farmer. 

The viral photo shows MLA Kailash Kushwaha from the Pohri Assembly constituency dressed in plain clothes and a helmet, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with farmers at the Pohri Agricultural Produce Market. The legislator said he wanted to see firsthand what farmers were going through and what he found left him outraged. "Farmers have been standing in line since 4 am, yet no official, SDM, or Tehsildar is present. There's pushing, shoving, and no arrangement for drinking water or seating," Kushwaha said.

He alleged that tokens for fertiliser were being distributed based on 'faces', with the Patwari or village accountant, giving preference to select individuals while genuine farmers were being ignored. "This is injustice. The system has completely collapsed," he told reporters after calling the District Collector directly from the spot, demanding immediate reforms.

The situation is particularly tense in several rural districts where sowing season is underway, and farmers say their crops are being delayed due to a lack of urea and DAP fertilisers.

Even as chaos spreads, the Farmer Welfare and Agriculture Development Minister, Edal Singh Kansana, denied reports of scarcity. He claimed that adequate fertiliser is available in all districts. According to official data, between April 1 and September 9, 2025, the state had 18.34 lakh metric tonnes of urea available, of which 16.19 lakh metric tonnes were sold. Around 2.15 lakh metric tonnes remain in stock. For DAP + NPK fertilisers, 13.96 lakh metric tonnes were available by September 9, of which 9.71 lakh metric tonnes have been sold. The minister said, "7 to 8 fertiliser racks are arriving daily" across various districts.

However, the ground reality paints a very different picture. In district after district, angry farmers are lining up in the dark before dawn, only to return home empty-handed or worse, injured in clashes.

MLA Kushwaha's image, standing in line wearing a helmet, has gone viral across social media and become symbolic of the growing unrest. The state government maintains that supplies are steady.