News Analysis India

Tag: Farm Laws 2020

  • 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on Wednesday, said the farmers sitting at Delhi’s borders will not budge till the three contentious farm laws are repealed.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.

  • Farmers’ protest against three agri laws completes 300 days

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: As the ongoing farmers’ protest against three contentious agriculture laws of the Centre completed 300 days on Wednesday, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said the movement is a testimony to the will and determination of lakhs of farmers across the country that would only grow stronger.

    “It has been 300 days since lakhs of farmers were forced to stay put at Delhi’s borders. The protesting farmers have been peacefully communicating their resistance against a corporate takeover of India’s food and farming systems.

    “Their demands are clear and known to the (Narendra) Modi government, which has been obstinately choosing not to agree to these legitimate demands of farmers, even though farmers constitute the largest set of workers in the country and even though elections in our democracy are won through votes cast mainly by farmers,” a statement issued by the SKM said.

    “The Samyukt Kisan Morcha states that this historic movement stands as a testimony to the will, resolve and hope of lakhs of farmers across the country. The SKM also vows to strengthen the movement, going forward, and make it more widespread,” it added.

    Meanwhile, preparations for the “Bharat bandh” called by the SKM on September 27 are in full swing.

    “Various sections of the society are being reached out to by farmers’ outfits in different parts of the country to get their support and solidarity to the farmers’ cause, which is also becoming a movement to protect India’s democracy,” the SKM said.

    According to the statement, workers’ unions, trade unions, employees’ and students’ unions, women’s organisations, transporters’ associations, in addition to the joint planning meetings of many farmers’ organisations, are being roped in for the planning of the “bandh”.

    Kisan mahapanchayats are also being organised to get more citizens to rally around the “bandh” call.

    Cycle and motorcycle rallies are also being organised, the SKM said.

  • People protesting farm laws attack BJP MLA Umesh Malik in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar

    By PTI

    MUZAFFARNAGAR: People protesting the Centre’s farm laws allegedly attacked BJP’s Budhana MLA Umesh Malik, pelting his car with stones and smearing it with black ink at Sisauli village here on Saturday.

    A video of the incident has surfaced on social media.

    In another purported video, the MLA is seen telling that the attackers had affiliation to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU).

    Incidentally, Sisauli is the village of BKU leader Rakesh Tikait and the headquarter of the farmers’ body.

    Police said the incident took place when the MLA reached the village for a programme.

    Police rescued the MLA, they said.

    After the incident, BJP supporters gathered at the local police station, demanding action against the culprits.

    Union minister Sanjeev Balyan also reached the police station after the incident.

    Farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s farm laws for the past over eight months.

    A large number of them are protesting at Delhi borders, demanding the repeal of the laws, which have been dubbed as pro-farmer by the Union government.

  • False cases won’t deter farmers from protesting farm laws: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

    By PTI

    KURUKSHETRA: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday accused the Haryana government of slapping false cases against farmers and said it won’t deter them from protesting the Centre’s farm laws.

    Maintaining that their stir will continue till the laws are repealed, he warned the state government “not to interfere” in their peaceful agitation.

    “The ruling dispensation in Haryana is trying to appease its political masters by arresting agitating farmers and slapping false cases against them,” he alleged.

    It won’t deter them from holding the protest and their agitation against the laws will continue till the legislations are repealed, Tikait told reporters.

    Replying to a question, he said farmers are united and fighting a long battle with the central government, which is “pro-corporate”.

    “The central government refuses to listen to anyone and whosoever tries to speak against their injustice is branded as anti-national,” he said.

    To another question, Tikait said farmers are sure of their victory and will force the Centre to repeal the farm laws.

    In reply to another question about any campaign against the BJP in next year’s Vidhan Sabha elections in Punjab and UP, Tikait said farmers are mature enough and know everything.

    “They will react and act accordingly, and unitedly during the elections,” he said.

    On Haryana BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni’s earlier suggestion that outfits from Punjab involved in the stir should contest the 2022 assembly polls, Tikait said it could be his own opinion and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha has nothing to do with it.

    He, however, said that Chaduni is part of the Morcha and all are unitedly spearheading the agitation.

    Tikait was here to address a gathering of farmers at Jat Dharamshala to invite them in large numbers to participate in a “Kisan Mahapanchayat” to be held at Muzaffarnagar in UP on September 5.

  • Have no regrets, ready to face any action for farmers’ cause: Pratap Singh Bajwa after Rajya Sabha ruckus

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday said he has no regrets about creating ruckus in Rajya Sabha and is ready to face any action for raising his voice against the farm laws.

    Bajwa was seen throwing an official file at the Chair after climbing the table occupied by officials during the protest by opposition members when the House was to commence a discussion on farmers’ issues.

    “I have no regrets. I will do this 100 times again if the government does not give us an opportunity to discuss the three black anti-agriculture laws,” he told PTI.

    “I will be happy if the government punishes me for highlighting the cause of farmers and seeking the repeal of anti-farmer laws. Being the son of a farmer, I stand by the farmers and their cause,” he said.

    Bajwa said they had “no other option” as the government was disallowing their notice seeking a discussion on the repeal of the three farm laws.

    He said he has not committed any crime by raising farmers’ concerns and has no regrets.

    The government, on its part, has accused the opposition members of lowering the dignity of the House with their unruly conduct.

    The MP from Punjab said the government was behaving like the British, “who had to bow before the farmers during the pre-independent times”.

    “The government will have to take these farm laws back one day as we will continue to fight for the farmers,” he said, adding that the laws were akin to signing the “death warrants of farmers”.

    Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that the pandemonium in Rajya Sabha was a “direct consequence of the mischievous strategy” of the Modi Government to “divide” the Opposition and its refusal to discuss the repeal of the three farm laws.

    TMC member Derek O’Brien shared a video of the opposition ruckus when the discussion on the farmers’ problems was being taken up in the upper house after lunch.

    He also alleged that the government was running away from repealing the farm laws.

    Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, however, said the “undemocratic behaviour” of Congress, TMC and AAP proves that there is nothing wrong with the new farm laws and the problem lies in their perception.

    He said if the Opposition members were concerned about farmers and agriculture, they would have participated in the discussion and put forth their viewpoints instead of protesting.

  • Punjab CM Amarinder Singh raises farm laws issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday met Home Minister Amit Shah and urged him to repeal the three farm laws, citing social, economic and security implications of a prolonged farmers’ agitation.

    He also sought 25 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and anti-drone gadgets for the Border Security Force (BSF) for protection from Pakistan-backed terror forces as Punjab is a border state and cited possible targeting of Hindu temples, prominent farmer leaders, RSS offices, RSS-BJP leaders among others, according to a statement by his office.

    The chief minister said during the meeting that the farm laws have caused great resentment amongst farmers from Punjab and other states and they must be repealed.

    He expressed concern over the fear of inimical powers from across the border trying to exploit the resentment and disgruntlement against the government and sought an expeditious solution to the farmers’ concerns.

    The chief minister said protests have been going on in Punjab ever since the central government issued the ordinances in June 2020.

    “While these protests have so far been largely peaceful, one can sense rising tempers, especially as the state moves towards elections in early 2022,” the chief minister said.

    The prolonged agitation is not only impacting economic activities in Punjab but also has the potential to affect its social fabric, especially when political parties and groups take strong positions, he added.

    The chief minister told Shah that the security situation was grave and needed the Centre’s immediate intervention, as he cited the recent heavy influx of weapons, hand-grenades and IEDs into the state, with Pakistan’s ISI also raising the ante ahead of the Independence Day and in the run-up to the Punjab Assembly polls.

    Singh asked the Union Home Minister for CAPF deployment in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mohali, Patiala, Bathinda, Phagwara and Moga, as well as anti-drone technology for the BSF deployed at the borders.

    He pointed to the “potent threat” to the security of vital infrastructure/installations and public meetings/events being attended by “highly threatened” individuals, an official statement from Punjab government said.

    Referring to inputs from central and state agencies, corroborated by disclosures made by arrested terrorists, Amarinder Singh said potential individual and mass indiscriminate targets include trains, buses and Hindu temples, prominent farmer leaders, RSS Shakhas/Offices, RSS/BJP/Shiv Sena leaders based in Punjab, Deras, Nirankari Bhawans and Samagams.

    He cited specific inputs about five farmer leaders and that they had refused to take security offered by Punjab and Haryana police.

    The chief minister apprised Shah about the recent efforts by Pakistan’s ISI and the country’s establishment to push large quantities of weapons, hand-grenades, RDX explosive, detonators, timer devices, sophisticated laboratory made tiffin bombs into Punjab for carrying out terrorist acts.

    “With the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for February-March 2022, many militant and radical operatives are being pressured by the ISI to carry out terrorist actions.

    These are very serious and worrisome developments having huge security implications for the border state and its people,” the CM warned.

    Amarinder Singh also flagged the urgent need to compensate farmers for the management of paddy straw at Rs 100 per quintal and to address the growing fear of shortage of DAP (Diammonium phosphate), which would further aggravate the problems of farmers.

    He urged Shah to immediately advise the officials of the fertilizers department for enhanced allocation of DAP stocks to Punjab as per the revised demand by the state and to further direct the suppliers to ensure that adequate stocks are given as per schedule.

  • Rajya Sabha business lists debate on ‘agri problems, solutions’, Jairam Ramesh questions his name on it

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has accused the government of putting his name in the discussion on ‘agriculture problems and solutions’ in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday which is not related to his calling attention notice on farmers’ agitation.

    Since the start of the Monsoon session on July 19, parliamentary proceedings have been continuously witnessing disruptions due to protests by Opposition parties and a logjam has persisted over their demand for a discussion on the Pegasus snooping row and farmers’ protests.

    “Tomorrow, in a too clever-by-half move the Modi Government has scheduled a discussion on ‘the agricultural problems and solutions’ and added my name to it.

    “The discussion has nothing to do with my notice given on July 23 on the ongoing farmers’ agitation,” Ramesh tweeted on Monday.

    The government has listed a short-duration discussion on “the agricultural problems and solutions” in the list of businesses of the Rajya Sabha for August 10.

    Ramesh shared a picture of the calling attention notice given on July 23 in which he wrote, “Farmers and farmer organisations have been protesting and agitating against the three farm laws that were pushed through Parliament without any legislative scrutiny in September 2020. The agitation has been going on for at least nine months now.”

    Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien supported Ramesh saying the “dirty tricks” of the BJP is trying to break opposition unity.

    “Dirty tricks of Modi-Shah. Glad you called them out. Opposition speaking in one voice: we want a discussion on internal security (Pegasus). Failed again in trying to divide and rule,” O’Brien tweeted in reply to Ramesh.

  • Farmers will oust BJP government if it doesn’t repeal agri laws: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

    By PTI

    GHAZIABAD: Farmers will oust the BJP government if it does not repeal the contentious agricultural laws and enacts a legislation guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for crops, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said here on Monday.

    Tikait, the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, made the remarks as he held a meeting with the BKU’s office-bearers from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh at the Ghazipur border here.

    The meeting was held to formulate a strategy to intensify the farmers’ agitation in these states to press their demand for the withdrawal of the three farm laws and the guarantee for MSP, according to a BKU statement.

    “If the laws are not repealed and MSP not guaranteed, we shall force the BJP (government) to quit. We will reach out to farmers and expose the BJP. A government made by farmers cannot stay in power if it is anti-farmer,” the statement in Hindi quoted Tikait as saying.

    However, the influential BKU leader emphasised that the farmers are not against any political party.

    “We are not against any party. We are only against any group which is opposed to the welfare of the farmers and labourers,” he added.

    In his meeting, Tikait held discussions on the BKU’s press conferences scheduled for August 11 in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun and Himachal Pradesh’s Nahan, the farmer union’s media in-charge Dharmendra Malik said.

    The BKU will hold an event in Haryana’s Mewat on August 26 and one in Yamuna Nagar on August 29, he said.

    In September, a ‘kisan panchayat’ will be held in Muzaffarnagar, the BKU’s headquarters in western Uttar Pradesh, he added.

    Hundreds of farmers are encamped at Delhi’s border points of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur since November 2020.

    They have been demanding that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; 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 MSP for their crops.

    The government, which has held 11 rounds of talks with the farmer leaders, has maintained the laws are pro-farmer and will usher in new technology in farming.

  • Maharashtra government introduces three bills to counter Centre’s farm laws

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena-led MVA government in Maharashtra on Tuesday introduced three amendment bills in the assembly related to agriculture, co-operation, food and civil supplies, in a move to counter the new farm laws enacted by the Centre that are facing stiff opposition from a section of cultivators.

    The bills have provisions for higher than MSP rate for produce in farming agreement with traders, timely payment of dues, three-year jail term and Rs 5 lakh fine or both for harassment of farmers.

    They also have provisions to give power to the state government to regulate and prohibit production, supply, distribution and impose stock limits on essential commodities.

    Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said the central farm acts were passed without discussion and several of their provisions encroach on rights of state governments.

    “The state government has right to make laws and we want to suggest amendments to the central agriculture laws which we feel are anti-farmer,” he said.

    The bills which have been placed in public domain for two months for suggestions and objections are – Essential Commodities (Amendment), Farmers (Empowerment and Protection), Guarantee Price; Agriculture Related Agreements (Maharashtra Amendment) and Amendments to Central Government Farmer Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation).

    The draft bills have been prepared by a cabinet sub-committee headed by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.

    Pawar said the draft bills will be in public domain for two months during which all stakeholders can hold discussions and debates on their provisions.

    The bills will be taken up for discussion and passage during the winter session of the legislature in Nagpur (held in December), he said.

    Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse said farming agreements (between traders and farmers) will be considered invalid if the price of agri produce being offered is not more than the MSP (minimum support price).

    If the farmer is not paid in seven days of sale of his produce, a criminal offence can be lodged against the trader and punishments include three year in jail and Rs 5 lakh penalty, Bhuse said.

    Co-operation minister Balasaheb Patil said under the central acts, there is no control over trader in case of a default in payment to farmer after sale of agriculture produce.

    To ensure farmers get remunerative price for their agriculture produce within time and to protect their interests, the state government has decided to amend the Centre’s Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act in its application to Maharashtra, Patil said.

    The draft bill proposes that no trader shall trade in any scheduled agri produce unless he has a valid licence from the competent authority, Patil said.

    In any dispute arising out of a transaction between a farmer and a trader, parties may seek solution by filing an application to the competent authority and an appeal against the order of competent authority to the appellate authority, he said.

    For harassment of farmers punishment is not less than three years imprisonment and fine of not less than Rs 5 lakh or both, he said.

    Food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal said in the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 – which has been amended by the Centre – there is no provision for the state government to regulate or prohibit production, supply, distribution, imposing stock limits under extraordinary circumstances which may include famine, price rise or natural calamity.

    He said the state government proposes to amend the act in its application to Maharashtra and assume power to regulate and prohibit production, supply, distribution and impose stock limits.

  • 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.