News Analysis India

Tag: Agri Laws

  • Ceasefire by government and not farmers, says Rakesh Tikait demanding resumption of talks on MSP and other issues

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Monday hit out at the government, accusing it of trying to divide the farmers, and said it should talk to them to resolve their issues or else “we are not going away”.

    The farmer leader also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should give a clear answer on the demand for a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) that he had “supported” when he was the chief minister.

    “It took one year for us to make them understand. We said our things in our own language but those sitting in shining bungalows in Delhi had another language,” Tikait said, addressing a mahapanchayat called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of the agitating farmer unions, on the MSP issue.

    “They understood in one year that these laws are harmful and took the laws back. They did the right thing by withdrawing the laws but tried to divide farmers by saying that they failed to make some people understand the laws. We are some people,” Tikait said.

    He was referring to Prime Minister Modi’s apology while announcing the decision on Friday to withdraw the three central farm laws against which the SKM was agitating.

    Tikait said that a “sangharsh-vishram” (ceasefire) has been declared by the government and not farmers and that there are many issues before the peasants.

    “The struggle will continue. The government should talk to farmers about the issues related to them or else we are not going to go away. Meetings will be held all over the country and we will tell the people about your work,” he said.

    Talks between the government and the agitating unions over the three farm laws were stalled in January after nearly a dozen rounds of discussions failed to break the deadlock.

    Urging people to join the farmers’ movement, Tikait said, “They will entangle you all in Hindu-Muslim, Hindu-Sikh and Jinnah and will keep selling the country.”

    Despite the climbdown by the government, farmer unions said on Sunday they will continue their agitation till it starts talks with them on their six other demands, including a law guaranteeing MSP and the arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra.

    Tikait said farmers will not get the right rate of their produce by apology but by framing a policy and contested the claim that a committee has been made for MSP.

    He claimed that as chief minister of Gujarat Modi was part of a committee that had suggested to the then prime minister Manmohan Singh that a law guaranteeing MSP was required.

    “The report of this committee is lying in the PMO. There is no new committee required nor the country has more time,” Tikait said.

    “Give a clear answer, the prime minister will have to give a clear answer before the country whether he will accept the suggestion of the committee he was a part of for MSP guarantee law,” he said.

    He also attacked the media saying that since the past three days they have only been questioning the farmers.

    “We have many issues including the one related to the farmers who lost their lives during the agitation,” he said.

    Among the demands made by SKM are, withdrawal of cases against farmers, building a memorial for the protesters who lost their lives during the agitation and withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill.

  • ‘Farmers not going to get justice till BJP is in power’: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav

    Akhilesh Yadav said farmers would not get justice as long as the BJP's 'triple-engine' government remains in power.

  • Repeal farm laws, relieve farmers: BSP chief Mayawati tells Centre

    BSP supremo Mayawati said she expects the government to repeal the three contentious farm laws and relieve the farmers.

  • Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi stops his cavalcade near protest site, reiterates support to farmers

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday reiterated his support to the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws.

    The CM stopped his cavalcade when he saw a protest by farmers at a toll plaza near Jhallian village on Ropar-Chamkaur Sahib road.

    “Channi straightaway went to the site of the ‘dharna’ and expressed solidarity with the farmers, reiterating his support to the struggle being waged by the farming community,” according to a government statement.

    The chief minister said the Punjab government stands shoulder to shoulder with the farmers against these “draconian” farm laws.

    “We are duty bound to safeguard the interests of the farmers and will continue to wholeheartedly extend support to your agitation until the anti-farmer agricultural laws are done away with,” Channi was quoted as saying in the statement.

    He alleged the three laws are the “culmination of the conspiracy to subjugate India’s farmers for the advantage of a handful of crony capitalist friends of the Modi government”.

  • PM Narendra Modi slams opposition over farm reforms criticism

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Accusing the opposition of “intellectual dishonesty” and “political deceit” over its criticism of his government’s three farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says tough and big decisions need to be taken to bring benefits to citizens who should have received them decades ago.

    Stoutly defending the agri laws, Modi said it is one thing if a political party makes a promise and is unable to deliver on it but what is a “particularly undesirable” and “detestable” trait is some of these parties made promises on the lines of the reforms enacted by his government and have now done a U-turn and spread “the most malicious kind of misinformation on the promises they themselves had made”.

    In an interview to Open magazine, he said, “The things that people of India are entitled to, those benefits that they should have received decades ago, have still not reached them. India shouldn’t be put in a situation where it has to wait any longer for the things that this country and its citizens are entitled to, we should give it to them.

    “And, for this, big decisions should be taken and if need be, tough decisions should also be taken.”

    He was replying to a question about the labour and farm laws enacted by the government and its refusal to roll-back the three contentious agriculture laws, as demanded by the protesting farmer unions.

    The ruling BJP has said that several opposition parties, including the Congress, had promised similar farm reforms that the Modi government has enacted but are now backing protests against the new laws for selfish political reasons.

    A section of farmers, especially in Punjab and part of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting against the laws, whose implementation have been put on hold.

    The prime minister noted that his government has been saying right from the beginning that it is ready to sit together with the protesting farm bodies and discuss on those issues on which there is a disagreement.

    “Many meetings have also been held in this regard but no one till now has come up with a specific point of disagreement that we want this to be changed,” he said.

    Modi said politics in India had seen only one model, which governments were run to build the next government too, while his fundamental thinking is different as he believes in running the government to build the nation.

    “The tradition has been to run the government to make your party win but my purpose is to run the government in a way to make our country win,” he said.

    Referring to his government’s measures like cooking gas cylinder distribution and building toilets for the poor or push to digital payments, he said many sections of India’s political class view people through the lens of “Raj Shakti” (government’s power) while he sees them as “Jan Shakti” (people’s power).

    The prime minister also asserted that India has done better than many developed countries.

    In an apparent attack on those who have criticised his government’s handling of the Covid pandemic, he said, “However, we have in our midst vested interests whose only aim is to tarnish India’s name. Covid was a global scourge with all countries equally affected. In this scenario, India has done better than its peers and many developed countries, notwithstanding such negative campaigns.”

    The biggest lesson from the Covid fight has been that India has an unparalleled ability to unite, find a common purpose, come together, and a tremendous capacity to deliver when a need arises, he said.

    From being a net importer of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, India has now become one of the biggest manufacturers across the globe, he said.

    “Imagine if our country had not come up with a vaccine. What would be the situation? We know that a large population of the world doesn’t have access to Covid vaccines. Today, our success in vaccination is thanks to India being Atmanirbhar (self-reliant),” he said.

    On the farm laws, he said his government is committed to empowering the small farmers in every way.

    Slamming rivals, he said, “If you look at those who are opposing the pro-farmer reforms today, you will see the real meaning of intellectual dishonesty and political deceit.

    These were the same people who wrote letters to chief ministers asking them to do the exact same thing that our government has done. These were the same people who wrote in their manifesto that they would enact the same reforms that we have brought.

    “Yet, just because some other political party, blessed by the will of the people, is enacting the same reforms, they have made a complete U-turn and in a brazen display of intellectual dishonesty, completely disregard what will benefit the farmers and only seek what they think will benefit them politically.”

  • ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by farmer unions evokes mixed response in Chhattisgarh 

    By PTI

    RAIPUR: The Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions against the Centre’s three agriculture laws evoked a mixed response in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh as most of the shops and establishments remained open in major cities.

    Agitators staged protests at different locations and briefly blocked roads at many places in the state demanding repeal of the three laws.

    Overall, the bandh remained peaceful with no untoward incident reported so far from any part of Chhattisgarh.

    The ruling Congress had extended support to the national shutdown.

    The Bharat Bandh, called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, marks one year since President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the three controversial laws and 10 months since thousands of farmers set up camp at Delhi’s border points to voice their protest.

    The bandh is in effect from 6 am to 4 pm.

    Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday tweeted that he supports the peaceful bandh and stands with farmer brothers.

    Claiming that the bandh was successful, Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha (CKS) chief Sanjay Parate said farmers, labourers and people from Surguja (northern Chhattisgarh) to Bastar (southern Chhattisgarh) have extended their support to farm unions protesting against the three “black” laws.

    Protests were held in Rajnandgaon, Durg, Raipur, Dhamtari, Bastar, Bilaspur, Janjgir-Champa and other districts while farmers and tribals also blocked roads on many routes including Bakimongra-Bilaspur, Ambikapur-Raigarh, Surajpur-Banaras and Balrampur-Ranchi, Parate said.

    Farmer leaders also addressed meetings at many places and demanded the withdrawal of the three laws and sought to enact a law to ensure a guarantee to the minimum support price (MSP) for all farm produce, he said.

    Most of the shops and other commercial establishments remained open throughout the day in the state capital Raipur and public transport remained unaffected.

    At some groups of agitators were seen asking shop owners to shut their facilities here.

    In other major districts, including Bilaspur, Raigarh, Korba, Durga and Rajnandgaon, also the shops and commercial establishments functioned normally.

    Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has accused the ruling Congress of misleading farmers over the farm laws.

    “Despite the ruling party’s support to the bandh call, there was no impact of it in the state. It clearly indicates that the farmers of Chhattisgarh have recognized the Congress and its hidden agenda. The party has been misleading farmers,” said Sandip Sharma, state in-charge of BJP’s Kisan Morcha.

    Sharma also asked the Congress government to stay away from “drama” happening in the name of the farmers’ movement and to work with honesty in the interest of farmers.

  • Bharat Bandh: Tarigami leads dharna as Jammu witnesses demonstrations demanding repeal of farm laws 

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Demonstrations and rallies were held across Jammu district on Monday in support of the Bharat Bandh called by farmers to demand repeal of the Centre’s three agri laws.

    Led by CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami, hundreds of activists and farmers took out a rally and sat on a dharna on the main road here, leading to disruption of traffic.

    Addressing the activists, Tarigami said these “anti-farmer” laws are bound to “destroy” the agriculture sector and threaten India’s food security.

    “Besides, these laws will lay the basis for abolishment of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and mortgage the country’s agriculture and markets to the corporate sector”, he charged.

    ALSO READ | Bharat Bandh: RJD, Congress, Left parties block highways, rail in Bihar 

    Tarigami said the issue of providing a fair price for farmers’ produce by ensuring a minimum support price has been a long pending demand of farmers.

    “On the one hand, the farmers are facing the brunt of increasing prices of diesel, petrol, fertilisers, other agricultural inputs and their daily necessities, and on the other hand, they are becoming poorer as their income is getting reduced,” he said.

    Noting that the “historic struggle” by farmers to demand repeal of the agri-laws and legal guarantee of MSP is still continuing, he charged that the Modi government has refused to engage with these struggling farmers through talks.

    The government should immediately start negotiations with farmers to sort out the issue, he demanded.

    In Jammu, the demonstrations were organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Kissan Tehreek.

    Expressing solidarity with striking farmers, Om Prakash, General Secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said there was a need to strengthen worker-peasant unity to fight the neo-liberal policies and “attack” on the livelihood of farmers and working class.

    A similar demonstration was held in Srinagar where farmer leaders Abdul Rashid Pandit, Gh Qadir Hafroo and Abdul Rashid Itoo demanded minimum support price for farm produce.

    They also said that the horticulture sector has totally been neglected by the government though a major chunk of the population is dependent on it.

    The issue of fair price for their produce by ensuring a minimum support price for all crops has been a long pending demand.

    The government must include the horticulture industry in the MSP, they said.

    ALSO READ | 25 trains affected due to Bharat Bandh: Railways

    Many non-NDA parties have extended support to the nationwide 10-hour strike on Monday called by farmers protesting against the three agri laws under the aegis of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).

    The government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the farmers’ protest.

    Talks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26.

    The three laws — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 — were passed by Parliament in September last year.

  • Bharat Bandh: Major mandis, markets remain shut in Rajasthan’s agrarian districts, farmers hold rallies

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: The effect of the “Bharat Bandh” called by farmers against three agriculture laws of the Centre was visible in many districts of Rajasthan, including agriculture-dominated Ganganagar and Hanumangarh where the major mandis and markets remained closed.

    Farmers took out rallies on the major roads and held meetings.

    ALSO READ | Bharat Bandh: Farmers block highways at many places in Punjab

    The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is leading the agitation against the three farm laws, has given the call for a “Bharat Bandh” to be observed on Monday.

    The effect of the shutdown was visible in many districts of the state, including Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Sikar and Nagaur.

    Mandis and markets were partially closed in the cities and towns of these districts. The agitating farmers blocked the major roads and held meetings. The bandh also affected train services in the border districts.

    In Jaipur, farmers led by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) took out a rally on tractor-trolleys.

    ALSO READ | Ready to agitate for 10 years, but won’t allow farm laws to be implemented: Rakesh Tikait ahead of ‘Bharat Bandh’

    Enacted in September last year, the three farm laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

    However, the protesting farmers have expressed their apprehension that the legislations would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and do away with the “mandi” (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

  • Bharat Bandh: Left parties, Congress block roads, rail in West Bengal 

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Left activists blocked roads and railway tracks across West Bengal on Monday in support of the Bharat Bandh, while normal life remained largely unaffected in the state.

    Markets and shops were opened as usual, while public transport operated almost normally, except for a few hitches.

    Government and private offices registered usual attendance. Educational institutions are shut in state the due to the COVID-related restrictions.

    ALSO READ | 25 trains affected due to Bharat Bandh: Railways

    In Kolkata, CPI(M) members blocked roads at College Street, Jadavpur and Shyambazar Five-Point Crossing but were swiftly removed by the police.

    Road blockades were held in most of the major towns and cities in the state, including in district headquarters of Jalpaiguri, West Midnapore, East Midnapore, Hooghly and Coochbehar.

    The Left activists blocked railway tracks at Jadavpur in Eastern Railway’s Sealdah division. Reports of rail blockades from the Howrah division also came in.

    At several locations, Congress activists also joined the protesters, demanding repeal of the three farm laws.

    The ruling Trinamool Congress stayed away from the 12-hour bandh, but it supported the demands of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha which is spearheading the agitation.

    There was no report of any untoward incident, a police officer said.

    ALSO READ | Bharat Bandh: RJD, Congress, Left parties block highways, rail in Bihar 

    The three laws — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 — were passed by Parliament in September last year.

    Farmer groups have alleged that these laws will end the ‘mandi’ and the MSP procurement systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates, even as the government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced and asserted that these steps will help increase farmers’ income.

  • Singhu, Tikri borders closed, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij directs officials to open alternative routes to Delhi

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday directed officials to immediately open alternative routes in Sonipat and Jhajjar districts towards Delhi as the Singhu and Tikri borders remain closed due to the farmers’ protest.

    He asked them to start repairs on these roads so that people do not face any kind of problem commuting to Delhi on these routes from Haryana, an official statement said.

    Keeping in mind the inconvenience faced by the people due to the closure of the main roads on the highway by the agitating farmers, all alternative routes will have to be opened and repaired at the earliest, and work in this regard will start soon, the minister said.

    He said that repairs and filling of potholes on the roads being used by the people going to Delhi should be started from Thursday.

    Haryana BKU (Chaduni) chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni, addressing a farmers’ gathering in Kurukshetra district on Wednesday, said the farmers sitting at Delhi’s borders will not budge till the three contentious farm laws are repealed.

    Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and elsewhere have been sitting at Delhi’s borders for nearly 10 months demanding the repeal of the laws.

    At the meeting with officials, Vij said Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation roads are the main alternative routes from Sonipat to Delhi, and they should be repaired at the earliest.