News Analysis India

Tag: Farmers Protest

  • Haryana deputy speaker car attack case: Sirsa police books over 100 protesters

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Sirsa police has registered a case against over 100 protesters on various charges in connection with the incident on Sunday in which Haryana Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa’s car came under attack during a farmers’ protest targeting events of BJP leaders.

    “We have registered an FIR against 100-150 protesters under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including obstructing public servants in discharge of their duty, murderous attempt on an elected representative, damaging public property-Section 124 A (sedition) has also been added in the FIR and further investigations are on,” Station House Officer (SHO) Civil Lines police station, Inspector Vikram Singh said over the phone on Tuesday.

    He said that the FIR mentions two farmer leaders by name.

    CCTV footage of the incident was being gathered, Singh said, adding that “arrests will be made as other accused are identified.”

    Gangwa told reporters here on Tuesday that those who pelted stones at his vehicle on Sunday cannot be called farmers.

    “They cannot be called farmers. I can say those who attacked looked like addicts,” he said.

    State Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta told reporters that everyone has a right to hold protest in a peaceful way, but no one can take law into one’s hands.

    “The way the deputy speaker’s car was attacked, the events could have taken any ugly turn,” Gupta said.

    Sirsa police had earlier said the rear windscreen of Gangwa’s SUV broke as stones were pelted.

    Farmers carrying black flags had assembled outside Chaudhary Devi Lal University in Sirsa on Sunday during the day and raised slogans against the government.

    While Gangwa, who is a BJP MLA from Nalwa in Hisar, was coming out of the varsity after attending a function, protesters targeted his car, the police had said.

    Despite heavy police presence, some managed to surround the vehicle and banged against it with their hands. Some stones were also pelted at the vehicle as police were trying to escort it out of the area.

    Gangwa had escaped unhurt in the incident, police had said.

    Protesting farmers have been opposing public functions of the BJP and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in the state. Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi’s borders for over seven months in protest against the Centre’s three agri laws.

  • Shiromani Akali Dal promises government job to kin of farmers who died during farm laws’ stir

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday promised government job to the kin of farmers who died during the agitation against the Centre’s farm laws if the coalition led by his party comes to power in the state.

    The SAD president also assured free education to children and grandchildren of the farmers who lost their lives during the protest. The SAD is contesting the 2022 Assembly polls in the state in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

    “Today, I assure Punjabis: Immediately after forming the govt in 2022, SAD-BSP will honour the martyrs of Kisan Andolan with one govt job per family, free education to their children & grandchildren till post-graduation & health insurance cover to the entire family,” said Badal in a tweet.

    Today, I assure Punjabis: Immediately after forming the govt in 2022, SAD-BSP will honour the martyrs of #KisanAndolan with one govt job per family, free education to their children & grandchildren till post-graduation & health insurance cover to the entire family.@Akali_Dal_ pic.twitter.com/240jQ5e9DZ
    — Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) July 9, 2021

    In a video posted on his Twitter handle, Badal said for the past seven months, farmers have been camping at the Delhi borders, demanding repeal of the “black” farm laws brought by the Modi government at the Centre.

    He said that more than 550 farmers have “laid down” their lives during this agitation. “If the SAD-BSP alliance comes to power, its first decision will be to provide government jobs to a family member of the each farmer who died during the agitation,” Badal said.

    He also hoped that farmers would be victorious in their agitation against the three farm legislations.

    Farmers mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been camping at Delhi borders since November last year, 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 minimum support price for crops.

    However, the government has maintained that the laws are pro-farmer. Several rounds of talks between farmers and the government have failed to break the deadlock over the three laws.

  • Centre invites farmers to talks, APMCs to get interest bonus

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The Union Cabinet in its meeting on Thursday sought to calm the nerves of agitating farmers by allowing inclusion of Agriculture Produce Marketing Cooperatives (APMCs) in the interest subvention scheme unveiled in the Union Budget of Rs one lakh crore for creation of agriculture infrastructure. 

    Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar reiterated his appeal to renew talks with the farmer unions, saying that they have benefited in the past seven years of the various initiatives taken by the government for agriculture, including direct payments of the MSP (Minimum Support Prices) procurement of food grains.

    Tomar, briefing the Cabinet decision, said the interest subvention scheme has been amended to allow the projects for the strengthening of the APMCs within the ambit of the scheme. He also said that the individuals, Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs) and others can taken up 25 projects, but in different locations and claim interest subventions for Rs 2 crore loan for each.

    He also said the state cooperatives can take up more than 25 projects under the scheme, which was unveiled in the Union Budget this year. Also, Tomar informed that the Cabinet has amended the Coconut Board to crate the post of a CEO and chairman who will be from a farming background, while the scope of the entity will be expanded to explore opportunities abroad. 

  • Farmers in Punjab and Haryana protest against fuel, cooking gas price rise

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Farmers in Punjab and Haryana on Thursday held protests at several places in the twin states against the hike in fuel and cooking gas prices. The call for the protest from 10 am till 12 noon was given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is spearheading an agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws.

    Protesters parked their tractors and other vehicles on the roadside and shouted slogans against the Union government over the rising prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas. Some of them also brought empty LPG cylinders to the protesting sites as a mark of protest.

    Agitating farmers also honked their vehicles for a few minutes, saying it was done to “wake up” the government from “slumber”. The farmers slammed the government for not being able to control the prices of essential commodities.

    Police personnel were deployed in strength near the protest sites to maintain law and order, officials said. Protests were held at many places in Mohali, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Moga, Rupnagar in Punjab and Sonipat, Sirsa and Gohana in Haryana.

    Farmer leader Harmeet Singh Kadiyan, who led the protest in Ludhiana, slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre over the increasing prices of fuel and cooking gas. Every day, prices of fuel are going up which is adversely affecting every section of the society, he said.

    In Moga, a protester said rising prices of diesel would increase the farmers’ input cost. In Haryana’s Sirsa, a protesting farmer brought a camel to pull a four-wheeler as a mark of protest against the rising fuel prices. Agitating farmers said their demonstrations were peaceful.

    Thousands of farmers have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year 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 minimum support price for crops.

    However, the government has maintained the laws are pro-farmer. Several rounds of talks between farmers and the government have failed to break the deadlock over the three central controversial legislations.

  • 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.

  • Request protesting farmers to return home: Union Minister Piyush Goyal

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: As farmers’ protest against the new farm laws entered eighth month, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday appealed to protesting farmers to end their agitation and return home.

    He said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has also appealed to farmers to end the protest while stating that the government is ready to resume talks on the provisions of the three farm legislations.

    “I will request that farmers return to their homes. The law is pro-farmer and farmers across the country have welcomed it,” Goyal told reporters here.

    ALSO READ | Centre ready to talk to protesting farmers, but not on repeal of three agri laws: Narendra Singh Tomar

    He added that protesting farmers can give their suggestions.

    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.

    Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi’s borders for seven months now in protest against the three new farm laws that they say will end state procurement of crops at minimum support price.

  • Delhi police detains five farmers for protesting, raising slogans near Parliament

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Five farmers who were protesting and raising slogans near Parliament on July 1, 2021, were detained and taken to Parliament Street Police Station, said Delhi police.

    They were released after questioning, police further said.

    Farmers have been protesting at 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.

    Earlier on the completion of seven months of the ongoing protest, farmers on June 26 took out another ‘tractor rally’ and submitted a memorandum to Governors in all states.

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

  • Farmers’ adamancy on repeal of farm laws won’t serve any purpose: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said the protesting farmer unions should not remain adamant on repeal of the new central farm laws, adding that making it a precondition for talks with the government does not serve any purpose.

    He also claimed that only a “handful of people” were opposing the farm laws and that “common farmers are happy”.

    “Those spearheading the agitation are in reality not farmers. Real farmers have no objection with the farm laws, they are happy,” he said.

    The chief minister further alleged that those opposing the farm laws are only doing so due to political reasons.

    “Their Punjab team is doing so because polls are approaching there. But there are no polls due in our state. Here the agenda is to defame the government using political angle. And the Congress is also supporting them in this,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Withdraw cases lodged against farmers for protest marches: Samyukt Kisan Morcha

    Khattar said the word “kisan” (farmer) is a sacred one, but some incidents like the alleged sexual exploitation of a woman from West Bengal at the Tikri border last month have “prompted people to raise questions”.

    On Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar’s appeal to the protesting farmers to end their agitation and his invitation for talks, Khattar said, “The farmer unions are adamant on only one thing — repeal of the farm laws — without being able to pinpoint at any shortcomings of the laws.”

    “It does not serve any purpose if they remain adamant on just one thing and making it a precondition for talks with the government,” he said at a press conference here.

    “What I feel is that Kisan word is a very pious word. Everyone, including me, the government, common people, believe those leading this agitation have faith and respect towards farmers. But the sad part which has come out of this agitation is that some incidents have happened prompting people to raise questions,” he said in an apparent reference to the sexual exploitation incident at Tikri border.

    The Haryana Police had last month launched a probe into allegations by the father of the victim woman, who died after showing COVID-like symptoms, at a hospital in Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district, that she had been raped by two men she had accompanied to the farmers protest site at Tikri border.

    The CM also referred to the death of a 42-year-old man whose family members alleged that he was set on fire by four people in Bahadurgarh.

    According to the complaint lodged by the victim’s brother, the four men were part of the ongoing farmers agitation at the Tikri border near Delhi.

    “There has been sexual assault, murder, and also disputes with local people about roads being blocked for which even panchayats have been held,” Khattar said.

    He also referred to the alleged targeting of BJP-JJP leaders in the state over the farm laws.

    “I condemn their undemocratic way of work. We are exercising restraint. And what are they (those spearheading the stir) saying that the ministers, MLAs, chief minister, deputy CM cannot go to attend public functions. After all those running the government, it is their responsibility to go among the people and listen to them,” he said.

    “We have always exercised restraint as they (protesters) are our own people, we do not want confrontation. When they say some things, we tolerate it as they are our own people. But exceeding it beyond limit is not in anyone’s interest,” he added.

  • Withdraw cases lodged against farmers for protest marches: Samyukt Kisan Morcha

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday demanded the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during their protest marches on Saturday to mark seven months of their agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws.

    SKM, the umbrella body of farmer bodies spearheading the agitation, said the Chandigarh police has booked several farmer leaders on several charges.

    Farmers on Saturday marched towards the Raj Bhavan in different states to submit memoranda, addressed to the president, and to governors to mark seven months of protests against the Centre’s three farm laws.

    “In Chandigarh, it is reported that FIRs have been filed against several SKM leaders and many other protestors under IPC sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 188, 332 and 353,” the SKM said in a statement.

    It alleged that after barricading the roads, the “police also resorted to using water cannons and lathicharge on the protestors”.

    “On top of this kind of undemocratic and authoritarian behaviour, cases are now being filed against SKM leaders.

    Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns this and demands that the FIRs be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally,” it said.

    In many places, farmers were not allowed to even take out rallies to Raj Bhavans and there were detention and lock-ins of SKM leaders, it said.

    “SKM condemns this and points out that this itself is an illustration of the failure of democracy and the undeclared emergency that we are going though,” it said in the statement.

    Noting that cases have been filed against 15 farmers in Hisar who had taken part in a protest against a BJP meeting on June 25, the SKM said the FIRs should be withdrawn immediately.

    The farmers started their stir against the contentious farm laws in November by camping at Singhu border between Delhi and Haryana, besides at Tikri and Ghazipur borders.

    The protesting farmers have demanded the withdrawal of the Centre’s farm laws and that a new law be made to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

    The protesting farmers will mark Monday “Kisan Mazdoor Bhaichara Diwas” at Sunehra protest site near the Haryana-Rajasthan border, it added.