News Analysis India

Tag: Bharatiya Kisan Union

  • Thousands of farmers attend ‘Kisan mahapanchayat’ in Muzaffarnagar 

    Express News Service

    MUZAFFARNAGAR: Thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh and adjoining states thronged the GIC ground in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday giving the clarion call to uproot BJP governments from UP and Uttarakhand in upcoming assembly elections while reiterating their demand to repeal three contentious farm laws promulgated last year.

    The farmers, who had turned up in large numbers to attend the mahapanchayat, also resolved to continue their protest till their victory and took a vow to ‘save the country’ from the present government.

    They also gave a call for Bharat Bandh on September 27 in support of their demands.

    “They (the Centre) said only a handful of farmers are protesting. Let them see how few are protesting. Let us raise our voices so it reaches the ears of those sitting in Parliament,” multiple speakers at the dais stated.

    Speaking at the event, organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), national spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Rakesh Tikait said that the farmers would continue with their agitation and such mahapanchayats would be organised across the country in the coming days.

    “We have to stop the country from getting sold. Farmers should be saved, the country should be saved; business, employees and youth should be saved–this is the aim of this mahapanchayat,” said Tikait while addressing the mammoth gathering of farmers.

    Prominent among those present on the dais of mahapanchayat included Yogendra Yadav, activist Medha Patkar, CPM leader Atul Anjan and others. Tikait said that the protest on Delhi border and other sites would continue.

    “We will not back out even if our graves are dug at the protest sites. We will not return till our victory. We want guarantee over MSP,” he asserted.

    Accusing the present centre and state governments of diving people on communal lines, BKU leader Tikait shouted slogans of ‘Allah-ho-Akbar’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’ at the stage claiming that earlier people used to chant these slogans together but were divided on religious lines.

    While spelling out the ‘Mission UP’, Tikait said the land of Uttar Pradesh would not be lent to those who orchestrated communal riots in the past.

    The Samyukt Kisan Morcha — the umbrella body of 40 farmer unions spearheading the farmers” agitation — said the “mahapanchayat” proved that the agitation had the support of “all castes, religions, states, classes, small traders and all sections of the society”.

    Meanwhile, BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Sunday described through a tweet the protesting farmers as “our own flesh and blood” and suggested that the government should re-engage with them in reaching common ground.

    The show of strength could be a wakeup call for the ruling BJP as the mahapanchayat had the support of not only the khaps led by jats but also some Muslim khaps of western UP.

    In fact, during the last three elections, BJP has been putting up very impressive show in western UP which has around 130 of 403assembly seats.

    The Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 had driven a deep chasm between the Jats and Muslims resulting in huge polarisation of votes as Jats supported the BJP overwhelmingly. But in the wake of farmers’ unrest, the two communities are seen coming together giving jitters to the BJP camp.

    The gathering at Muzaffarnagar on Sunday also protested against the atrocities by the police they faced in Haryana’s Karnal on August 28.

    Around 8,000 security men were deployed to maintain law and order at the gathering. According to ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar, 25 companies of PAC and 20 officers of Meerut zone were deployed to address the security concerns.

    However, BKU media in-charge Dharmendra Malik claimed that farmers belonging to 300 organisations from different states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, among others, had gathered for the event.

    He said over 5,000 ‘langars’ (food stalls), including some mobile stalls, were set up to feed the participants.

    Meanwhile, the Muzaffarnagar administration denied Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhry’s request to sprinkle flowers from a helicopter on the venue and participants of the mahapanchayat.

    City magistrate Abhishek Singh rejected the request, saying it cannot be allowed due to security reasons.

    However, the district administration had tightened the security at residences of local BJP lawmakers including Union minister Sanjiv Balyan, BJP MLA Umesh Malik, as a precautionary measure.

  • Like Bengal, efforts will be made in UP to create atmosphere against BJP: Tikait

    Farmers will not vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) if they do not benefit from the government #39;s policies, the BKU spokesperson said.

  • Uttar Pradesh Police stopping people from joining farmers stir at Delhi borders: Rakesh Tikait

    By PTI
    GHAZIABAD: The Uttar Pradesh police is stopping people of the state from joining the farmers’ protest against three central farm laws at Delhi’s borders, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait claimed on Thursday.

    The farmer leader levelled the charge during a press conference at Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border where he has been leading the protest with hundreds of supporters since November 2020.

    He alleged that several people from Purvanchal area in eastern part of the state were either not getting public transport to reach Delhi or were being stopped by the local police.

    “Trains are not running. If people are found wearing caps or carrying flags (of protesting farmers unions), they are stopped from proceeding to Delhi borders,” Tikait claimed.

    “In UP, people from Purvanchal cannot reach here because regular trains are not in service. If somebody somehow gets a reservation in a train but the information reaches the police, they stop the person from travelling,” he alleged.

    “Today, the situation is such that people cannot come to Delhi to participate in the farmers’ movement,” he claimed.

    Tikait also announced at the press conference that the BKU would be intensifying its protest at district level in Uttar Pradesh from August 1 to highlight the problems being faced by the farming community.

    “We shall be taking this cause directly to the people at district level now,” Tikait said.

    Farmers at three border points of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur in Delhi are camping since November 2020 with a demand that the Centre withdraw the three new contentious farm laws and make a new one guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

    The government, which has held multiple rounds of official meetings with the protestors, maintains that the laws are pro-farmer.

  • Centre should not put conditions to resume talks with protesting farmers: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said the Centre should not put conditions if it wants to resume talks with the protesting farmers.

    His remarks come after Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar asserted that the three new central agriculture laws would bring revolutionary changes in the lives of farmers, and made it clear that the government was ready to hold talks with the protestors, except on the demand of the repeal of these laws.

    “We have said earlier as well that we are ready for talks whenever the government is ready. But why are they making it conditional by saying that they will not take back the farm laws?” Tikait told reporters in Rohtak.

    He alleged that the central dispensation was working under pressure of the corporates.

    “…they (Centre) would have talked (to farmers), but they are being run by the corporates,” he alleged.

    The farmer leader earlier addressed a ‘Pink dharna’ by women activists in Rohtak in support of the farmers’ stir against the farm laws.

    In nearby Uchana in Jind district, a mahapanchayat of farmers was also held wherein nine resolutions were passed.

    Jind BKU leader Azad Palwa told reporters that the mahapanchayat resolved to boycott BJP-JJP supported candidates in the forthcoming panchayat polls in Haryana.

    He said if the government does not repeal the farm laws, the candidates of BJP and JJP will face boycott in the assembly and parliamentary polls as well.

    Addressing the ‘Pink-Mahila Kisan Dharna’, Tikait said, “Such a dharna by women activists is possible in Haryana, where women too have been at the forefront of this (farmers) agitation.”

    He said the ongoing stir has now become a ‘revolution of ideas’.

    He added that although the farmers have been protesting against the ‘black farm laws’ for months now, it has not moved the government.

    “There is an undeclared emergency in the country and the people of this country should rise…,” he said.

    Tikait alleged that if the farm laws are implemented, the farmers will ultimately be forced to do petty jobs as their land ‘will be snatched’ by the big corporates.

    Meanwhile, Palwa said during the mahapanchayat, that it opposed the Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property During Disturbance to Public Order Bill, 2021.

    The Bill passed by the state assembly in March allows authorities to recover compensation from violent protesters damaging properties.

    The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader claimed the Bill was aimed to be used by the government against the farmers agitation.

    The mahapanchayat demanded that the ‘black farm laws’ be rolled back, a law to guarantee crop MSP be framed by the government, government job and Rs 50 lakh compensation be given to next of kin of those farmers who died during the ongoing agitation, all kinds of loans of farmers and farm labourers be waived.

    Resolutions related to women’s security, power issue and to ensure employment to the youth were also passed at the mahapanchayat.

    Later talking to reporters in Uchana, Palwa said two prominent leaders–Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and Hisar BJP MP Brijendra Singh–are not standing in support of the farmers in their fight against the farm laws.

    “Through this mahapanchayat, we want to give them the message that they were elected due to the support of farmers and labourers. By the power of the same vote, they can remove these leaders as well,” he said.

    Palwa further alleged that Chautala, great grandson of former deputy prime minister late Devi Lal who was considered a ‘messiah of farmers’, was not standing with the farmers and clinging to power.

    “It was Chaudhary Devi Lal who gave up power for farmers’ sake, whereas Dushyant does not care about the farmers as he does not want to give up power,” he said.

  • Farmers to submit memorandums to Governors against farm laws on Saturday

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: To mark the completion of seven months of the ongoing farmers’ agitation, the farmers will take out a tractor rally on Saturday in the national capital and will submit memorandums to Governors across the country against the three farm laws.

    While speaking to ANI, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) youth wing president Gaurav Tikait at Ghazipur (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) border said, “We’ll submit memorandums to Governors (for repeal of new farm laws) across the country today. The movement will remain peaceful.”

    Farmers camping at Delhi’s Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders will observe today as the “Save Agriculture, Save Democracy Day” to mark the completion of seven months of their agitation.

    The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said it will send a memorandum from all over India to the President on June 26, on farmers’ “anguish and indignation” and appeal to him regarding getting the farmer laws repealed, and to get a legal guarantee of minimum support price for farmers.

    Meanwhile, police and paramilitary forces have been deployed to maintain the law and order situation in the national capital in view of farmers’ tractor rally. According to official sources, intelligence agencies have alerted Delhi police and other agencies that Pakistan-based ISI proxies may sabotage the proposed farmers’ protest.

    A letter has been sent to Delhi Police and other agencies concerned. After receiving the letter, adequate arrangements have been made by the Delhi Police. “Adequate security arrangements have been made and some metro stations will also remain shut for a few hours on Saturday,” sources said.

    As a precautionary measure and to avoid any turbulence in the law and order situation, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has decided to keep three Metro stations — Vishwavidyalaya, Civil Lines and Vidhan Sabha shut from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday. The step has been taken on the advice of Delhi police, which has also made elaborate security arrangements.

    Several farmer groups are also expected to join the protesting farmers at Delhi’s border points today.

    Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

  • Khattar meets group of farmers backing agri laws, says only a handful of people agitating

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: A delegation of farmers backing the Centre’s farm laws met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here on Tuesday and was advised to form a group of 30-40 members having factual knowledge about the legislations to spread awareness about them in every village of the state.

    The delegation was led by Bharatiya Kisan Union Haryana State leader Guni Prakash, according to a state government statement.

    Speaking to reporters later in the evening after a meeting of BJP-JJP ruling alliance MLAs and Independents, Khattar said there are only a “handful of people” who were opposing the farm laws and that “common farmers are happy”.

    Issues related to governance were discussed at the legislators meeting, he said, adding the meeting was held after a gap of three months due to the COVID-19 situation.

    During the meeting with the chief minister, Guni Prakash said the ongoing protest against the Centre’s farm laws was political in nature and that the “real farmers” were in favour of the legislations.

    Khattar said at the meeting, “Rather than agitating against the farm laws, every farmer should be well versed about the benefits of these laws so that those who are trying to spread misinformation and mislead them fail to attain their vested interests.”

    He suggested that, if needed, farmers should be given training to help them get ample knowledge about these laws and for creating further awareness.

    Interacting with journalists, Khattar said, “A delegation of farmers led by Guni Prakash met me. They were satisfied that farmers will benefit from the farm laws.”

    While replying to a question, he then added, “A handful of people are supporting this (farmers) agitation, their number is not big.”

    “Common farmers are not opposing these laws, they are happy. They are getting payment directly into their accounts, farmers have freedom to sell anywhere. However, a handful of people who have their agenda they are opposing (farm laws),” said Khattar.

    He said there are now voices against the agitators from many places.

    Asked why the government is not taking action against the agitators, he said, “In a democracy everyone has the right to keep his viewpoint. Those who are opposing (farm laws) and those who are supporting are our own people. If anyone protests in a democratic manner, we have no problem.”

    Earlier, Guni Prakash submitted a letter of support to the chief minister on the farm laws and said that “from day one the real farmers are in favour of these legislations, while the so-called farmers have given a political colour to this peaceful movement and the real farmers like us are bearing the brunt”.

    “Those agitating on Delhi borders are political representatives,” he said, according to the statement.

    Speaking on the occasion, Khattar said that the state government is committed to safeguarding the interest of farmers and farming community and several steps have been taken in this direction.

    Implementation of the Mera Pani Meri Virasat Yojana for water conservation is one such step, he said.

    The delegation also invited the chief minister to attend a progressive farmers’ programme as chief guest that is likely to be held at Kurukshetra.

    Farmers owing allegiance to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a body spearheading agitation against the farm laws, have been opposing public functions of leaders of the state’s ruling BJP-JJP coalition.

    Several farmers under the SKM banner have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year demanding that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

    The government has maintained the laws are pro-farmer.

  • Delegation of farmers backing Centre’s agri laws meets Haryana CM

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: A delegation of farmers backing the Centre’s farm laws met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here on Tuesday and was advised to form a group of 30-40 members having factual knowledge about the legislations to spread awareness about them in every village of the state.

    The delegation was led by Bharatiya Kisan Union Haryana State leader Guni Prakash, according to a state government statement.

    Prakash said the ongoing protest against the Centre’s farm laws was political in nature and that the “real farmers” were in favour of the legislations.

    Khattar said, “Rather than agitating against the farm laws, every farmer should be well versed about the benefits of these laws so that those who are trying to spread misinformation and mislead them fail to attain their vested interests.”

    He suggested that, if needed, farmers should be given training to help them get ample knowledge about these laws and for creating further awareness.

    Prakash submitted a letter of support to the chief minister on the farm laws and said that “from day one the real farmers are in favour of these legislations, while the so-called farmers have given a political colour to this peaceful movement and the real farmers like us are bearing the brunt”.

    “Those agitating on Delhi borders are political representatives,” he said, according to the statement.

    Speaking on the occasion, Khattar said that the state government is committed to safeguarding the interest of farmers and farming community and several steps have been taken in this direction.

    Implementation of the Mera Pani Meri Virasat Yojana for water conservation is one such step, he said.

    The delegation also invited the chief minister to attend a progressive farmers’ programme as chief guest that is likely to be held at Kurukshetra.

    Farmers owing allegiance to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a body spearheading agitation against the farm laws, have been opposing public functions of leaders of the state’s ruling BJP-JJP coalition.

    Several farmers under the SKM banner have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year demanding that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

    The government has maintained the laws are pro-farmer.

  • Tikait leads sit-in at Haryana police station for release of farmers

    By PTI
    TOHANA (HARYANA): A large number of farmers led by Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait continued their sit-in at Sadar police station in Fatehabad here on Sunday demanding the release of two farmers.

    An FIR was registered after the farmers tried to gherao Jananayak Janata Party MLA Devendra Singh Babli’s residence here on Wednesday night.

    Vikas and Ravi Azad were arrested by the police in connection with the incident.

    Addressing a gathering outside the police station on Sunday, Tikait said the protesting farmers will not move from here till the time the fellow farmers are released.

    “We are ready for court arrest. We have been telling the police to either arrest us also or release them,” the BKU leader said.

    The protesting farmers had earlier also sought the registration of a case against Babli for allegedly hurling abuses at them.

    Babli later expressed regret for uttering “inappropriate” words against farmers.

    Tikait, along with some other farmer leaders, had assembled at the grain market here on Saturday night and then marched towards the police station.

    Talking to the media outside the Sadar police station on Saturday, Yogendra Yadav, senior leader of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which is spearheading the farmers’ agitation against the farm laws, said the issue of release of two farmers has not been resolved yet.

    “There is a deadlock in talks between us and the police administration,” he had said.

    Yadav said Babli had not lodged any complaint against Vikas and Ravi Azad who had been arrested by the police.

    But the government was not ready to withdraw the case against them, he added.

    On Sunday, a group of women in Tikait’s presence also sang songs highlighting the plight of the farmers.

    They took a dig at the Centre and Haryana government on the farmers’ issue, and slammed Deputy Chief Minister and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala for not standing with the farmers.

    Tikait said their agitation against the farm laws would continue till the government repeals the farm laws and enacts a law on minimum support price (MSP).

    The BKU leader reiterated that the government wants to shift the farmers’ agitation centre point from Delhi borders to Haryana’s Rohtak-Jind belt, a “ploy” which he said will not be allowed to succeed.

    On June 1, Babli had faced a protest by a group of farmers who showed black flags to him and raised slogans.

    Babli had alleged that some of the protesters resorted to unruly behaviour and smashed the windscreen of his SUV.

    Farmers, however, accused Babli of publicly using abusive and threatening language.

    Protesting farmers had on Wednesday said they would gherao all police stations across the state on June 7 if MLA Babli did not tender an apology by June 6.

    Several farmer groups in the state have been opposing the public functions of the BJP-JJP leaders.

  • Amarinder government in Punjab failed to make arrangements to deal with COVID: BKU

    BKU on Friday began a three-day protest in Patiala, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh #39;s home constituency, over the state government #39;s alleged failure to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • BKU-Ekta Ugrahan begins three-day protest against Punjab government’s handling of Covid-19

    By PTI
    PATIALA: Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) on Friday began a three-day protest in Patiala, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s home constituency, over the state government’s alleged failure to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

    One of the largest farmers’ unions in Punjab, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) said only a few protesters will stay at the venue through the night while the rest will join them again the next morning.

    A leader of the outfit told reporters here that the government had failed to tackle the situation brought about by the pandemic.

    “The people are bearing the brunt because of the government’s failure on various fronts. Doctors are not available in several villages. Government hospitals have ventilators, but lack technical staff to run them. Private hospitals are fleecing the patients,” he alleged.

    He further alleged that the Centre had also failed to deal with the COVID-19 situation and some BJP leaders were now trying to shift blame on farmers to defame their agitation by accusing them of spreading coronavirus infection.

    Three day and night protests have been started against the Punjab government in Patiala. All Covid-19 guidelines are followed such as masks, physical distance and senitization.#FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/g00ysAt6Zv
    — BKU EKTA UGRAHAN (@Bkuektaugrahan) May 28, 2021

    CM Amarinder Singh had on Sunday urged the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) not to hold their planned sit-in over his government’s “failure” to tackle coronavirus, saying their three-day protest may turn into a super-spreader event.

    Rejecting the allegation that his government failed to tackle the pandemic, the CM had earlier said they fought hard to prevent Punjab going the way of some other states such as Delhi, Maharashtra and even Uttar Pradesh.

    Singh had urged farmers not to act “irresponsibly” and endanger their own lives as their protest may negate the gains made by the state government in the fight against the pandemic, amid a complete ban on all gatherings.

    Such a dharna will draw people mainly from villages, which are in any case going through a crisis during the second wave of the pandemic, he had said.

    There is no scope for any laxity in COVID-appropriate behaviour and dharnas of any kind are totally unacceptable when the lives are at stake, the CM had said.

    BKU leaders, though, said all COVID-related protocols were being followed during the protest.

    Due care was being taken to ensure that everyone wore a mask and sanitised hands at the machines provided at the protest venue.