News Analysis India

Tag: Farmers Protest

  • ‘Hum do hamare do’: Rahul Gandhi tears into Modi govt on farm laws

    By Online Desk
    Lashing out the Narendra Modi government over the farm laws, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha said these legislations will allow industrialists to buy unlimited quantity of foodgrains and hoard them.

    He told Lok Sabha that it was not an agitation of the farmers only but a movement of the country and the government will have to repeal the laws.

    Gandhi also dramatically led his party members and those from the TMC and the DMK to observe a two-minute silence by standing to mourn the death of “200 farmers” during the ongoing agitation and said he was doing this as the government has not paid tributes to those who died during the protests.

    READ| Trevor Noah joins list of international celebrities to shine spotlight on Indian farmers’ protest

    “Intent of first law is to give one friend, the right to have all crops of India. Who’ll be at loss? ‘thelawalas’, small businessmen & those working in the mandis. The intent of the second law is to help the 2nd friend. He keeps 40% of India’s crops in his storage. PM says he has given options. Yes, you gave 3 options – hunger, unemployment and suicide,” he added.

    Gandhi cited the old family planning slogan ‘hum do hamare do’ to attack the government and said just 4-5 people are running the country.

    “The new farm laws will destroy India’s food security system and will hurt rural economy,” he said.

    The Congress leader also said that the farmers are not going anywhere but will overthrow the government.

    (With PTI inputs)

  • Trevor Noah joins list of international celebrities to shine spotlight on Indian farmers’ protest

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Stand-up comic and late night show host Trevor Noah is the latest international personality from the entertainment industry to highlight the ongoing farmers agitation.

    Through his popular TV programme “The Daily Show”, the Emmy-winning presenter on Wednesday night explained the origins of the farmers’ protest, their demands and the subsequent global support the agitation has received.

    On February 2, a tweet by pop star Rihanna triggered a wave of support for the protesting farmers by a number of global personalities, activists and politicians.

    ALSO READ | Lilly Singh, Jay Sean, other celebrities join Rihanna in extending support to farmers’ protest in India

    “Why are India’s farmers protesting? The government tried to change the decades-old agriculture laws and that’s when the manure hit the fan,” Noah tweeted, along with the video link.

    In the show’s segment ‘If you don’t know, now you know’, which ran over eight minutes, the 36-year-old South African comic pieced together news clippings to provide a holistic view of the protest.

    The video clip also mentioned the burning of effigies of Rihanna and Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg, who had voiced her support.

    Thousands of farmers have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November demanding the repeal of three new agriculture laws that they say will end the minimum support price (MSP) based procurement of crops like wheat and paddy by the government and usher in big corporates into the farm sector.

    They have rejected the government’s offer to suspend the reforms for 18 months and have not joined talks after 11 rounds of talks ended last month.

    Noah, who delivers satirical news related to the international and American political matters in an entertaining way on “The Daily Show”, said the government has decided that they’ve had “enough” of the protest because this is “a major crackdown”.

    “Maybe they think postponing the law will satisfy the farmers. But think about it. In 18 months, people will be in the same position that they are in now. And the protests will happen all over again.

    “But this crackdown shows you how worried the government must be about the protest. And honestly, they should be, because it’s clear that these farmers are digging in for the long haul,” Noah said in the video.

    Meena Harris, an American lawyer and niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris, Hollywood veteran Susan Sarandon, actors John Cusack, Amanda Cerni, singers Jay Sean, Dr Zeus and former adult star Mia Khalifa have also lent their support to the protesting farmers.

    The government had criticised the tweets by Rihanna and other international celebrities, saying facts must be ascertained before people rushing to comment on the issue, calling it “neither accurate nor responsible”.

  • Draft farm bills afresh after consulting farmers: Sachin Pilot to Centre

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Urging the Centre not to make the agri laws a “prestige issue”, senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday asserted that the government must let go of its “stubbornness” to immediately repeal the legislations, and said that when the BJP could not convince its allies like the Akali Dal and the RLP on the issue, how can it expect the farmers to accept the laws.

    A day ahead of former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Rajasthan to raise the voice of the farmers against the farm laws, he said that the Centre should withdraw the laws and after thorough consultation with farmers and states, come up with a new set of legislations which the tillers would themselves want and is not something that is forced upon them.

    In an interview with PTI, Pilot slammed the BJP for stating that the Congress had made a “U-turn” on the farm laws, saying it was the BJP which was prone to making ‘U-turns’, while his party was consistent on all issues.

    While the Congress supported agri reforms, it did not back laws which are “contrary to the interest of the farmers”, said the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister, who addressed two kisan panchayats in Dausa and Bharatpur recently, which saw a massive turnout.

    “First of all, they (BJP) made a U-turn on Aadhaar, then on GST, MGNREGA, FDI and so many issues. The Congress said we want to get new investments (in the agri sector) and technological inputs, want more ‘mandis’, liberalise the system, but never said we will make laws contrary to the interest of the farmers,” he said.

    Stressing that the government should set aside its “ego” and let go of its “stubbornness” to repeal the laws, Pilot said almost all political parties and even the BJP’s allies – be it the Akali Dal or Hanuman Beniwal’s Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) – opposed the laws.

    Both the Akali Dal and the RLP quit the BJP-led NDA, opposing the farm laws brought in by the government.

    “They were not able to convince their own NDA partners, how can they expect the farmers to be convinced by these laws and accept them,” Pilot said.

    “I don’t think they should make it a prestige issue,” the former Rajasthan Congress chief said.

    Asked if there could be a middle path or the repeal of laws was the only option, Pilot said the farmers have explicitly said that they want a complete withdrawal of the laws and the Congress stands firmly behind their demand.

    Criticising the three farm laws, Pilot said the first major problem with them is that they were made without consultation with any stakeholder as no farmer unions or state government was involved in the making of the laws.

    “Clearly these three laws that the government has made are not in the interest of the farmers because they are protecting everybody but the farmer.

    You dismantle the ‘mandi’ system and remove the stock limits, you are obviously encouraging large conglomerates and huge companies who can manage and maintain huge granaries”, which could lead to manipulation of the food grain market in the future, he claimed.

    Asked about the BJP’s assertion that the ‘mandi’ system will stay and the law only provides more options to the farmers, Pilot said that the BJP had also claimed that the farmers’ income will be doubled and Rs 15 lakh will be transferred in the accounts of people, none of which happened.

    “The law is in favour of a few individuals which will then control the sector.

    There is only so much food grain that is grown and harvested, if the government stops or drastically reduces procurement, where will the food security act go, from where will the food come for the supply for the PDS (public distribution system),” the 43-year-old leader said.

    He hailed the efforts of former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for strongly opposing the laws and standing with the farmers while extending moral support to them in various places.

    “Mr Gandhi vehemently opposed the laws and he is coming to Rajasthan to give support to the demand of the farmers to repeal these laws.

    He is touring three or four agrarian districts and will take part in many ‘kisan sabhas’ and will meet farmers and give support to their demands,” he said of Gandhi’s two-day visit to the state on February 12-13.

    Referring to the multi-layered barricading and iron nails studded on roads at the protest sites on Delhi’s border points, Pilot said the farmers are sitting at the Delhi’s borders for the last 80 days and not a single incident of violence took place as they were agitating on truly Gandhian philosophy, but had to face severe intimidation.

    “What happened on Republic Day, every individual has condemned that.

    We have to investigate how that happened and now they have caught the main accused who is not a farmer,” Pilot said, referring to the violence in Delhi during the protesting farmer’s tractor rally on January 26.

    “The huge deployment, nails being dug and barricading, gave a sense that the government is attempting to suppress the farmers by oppressive means,” Pilot said.

    Thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh demanding the rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.

    However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.

  • Farm laws: PM Narendra Modi cites ‘Churchill Cigar Assistant’ anecdote to underline need for change

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Defending the farm laws as much needed reforms, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday underlined that change is essential and cited the case of CCA, a British era post in Tamil Nadu for supplying cigars to then UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill that was not abolished till several decades after independence.

    Speaking in Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to the President for his address, Modi said change and reforms are essential for the progress of every modern society.

    He also mentioned social reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Jyotiba Phule and B R Ambedkar who had the courage to push for reforms in society against the prevailing norms.

    Stressing that still water leads to diseases while moving water instills new energy, Modi said he opposes the mindset of “status quo” and asserted that the young generation wouldn’t wait long for change.

    ALSO READ: ‘Congress will scrap new farm laws if voted to power’ – Priyanka Gandhi at mahapanchayat

    “One should take responsibility and decide according to the needs of the country. This mindset of ‘status quo’ has also played havoc in stopping the country’s progress. Till when will we continue with this status quo,” Modi said.

    To buttress his point for change, Modi cited a story of CCA, Churchill Cigar Assistant, in the office of Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu.

    The post was specifically created for ensuring the supply of cigar to Churchill from Tiruchirappalli in the state.

    Despite Churchill losing in 1945 and India becoming independent in 1947, the post continued till several decades later and the fact came to light when the state government set up a commission for raising the salaries of government employees.

    ALSO READ: Rajasthan Congress MLA reaches Assembly on tractor to show support for farmers

    The CCA wrote to the Commission seeking a raise but no one was even aware that such a post existed.

    This incident is the biggest example of a need for change in governance for the progress of the society, Modi suggested.

    He said a country cannot be run by just “cutting ribbons” and photo-ops.

    “We should make every attempt to bring changes. There may be mistakes, but if the intention is fair, there will be good results,” he said.

    Not acting due to fear of failure does not benefit anyone, the prime minister said.

    ALSO READ: Rakesh Tikait address ‘mahapanchayat’ at Kurukshetra, criticises PM Narendra Modi’s remark on protesters

    He also took potshots at those asking why the laws were introduced when farmers didn’t ask for them, saying that India is a democratic country and not a feudal set up where people should seek something from those who are in power.

    The government should be sensitive towards the people and take decisions that are good for the country, Modi said, while noting that people did not demand Ayushaman Bharat, Jan Dhan Accounts and Swachh Bharat, but still the Centre initiated these welfare programmes.

    He said laws against dowry, triple talaq and child marriage were also not demanded, still, the governments brought these laws as they were required for the overall well-being of the nation.

  • Farmers announce four-hour nationwide Rail Roko on February 18

    By Express News Service
    CHANDIGARH: The leaders of the protesting farmers on Wednesday announced that they will hold a nation-wide rail roko from 12-4 pm on February 18.

    After a meeting of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha in which all farmers leaders participated at the Singhu border, the president of Krantikari Kisan Union Punjab Dr Darshan Pal said four decisions have been taken to intensify the movement. 

    ALSO READ: ‘Congress will scrap new farm laws if voted to power’ – Priyanka Gandhi at mahapanchayat

    “It has been decided that on February 18, Rail Roko programmes will be held for four hours across the country from 12 to 4 PM. And from February 12, all road toll plazas in Rajasthan will be made toll-free on the pattern of Punjab and Haryana.”

    “It has also been decided that on February 14, candle march and mashaal (torch) march will be organised across the country in memory of the sacrifice of the martyred soldiers in the Pulwama attack, and on February 16, the farmers will celebrate the birth anniversary of Sir Chhoturam,” said Pal.

    ALSO READ: Rajasthan Congress MLA reaches Assembly on tractor to show support for farmers

    Another farmer leader said, “The All India Kisan Sangarsh Coordination Committee will work out the details and coordinate for the success of the protest programmes.”

    Meanwhile, addressing the farmers at Singhu border, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said that they were not expecting at any change in the government at the Centre but a solution to their problems. Tikait further said many of their leaders will tour different parts of the country to spread the movement.

    ALSO READ: Rakesh Tikait address ‘mahapanchayat’ at Kurukshetra, criticises PM Narendra Modi’s remark on protesters

    “We do not aim to change the government at the Centre. The government should do its work. We want it to repeal the farm laws and ensure law on MSP,” he said.

    Tikait added that the agitation against the farm laws will stretch till the Centre addresses the farmers’ issues.

    The farmers are demanding a complete rollback of the new farm reform laws and a guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

  • Forced to walkout in Lok Sabha as PM Narendra Modi did not say anything to satisfy concerns over farm laws: Congress

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: After its members walked out of Lok Sabha during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech, the Congress on Wednesday said its leaders were forced to do so as the PM did not say anything to satisfy its concerns over the farm laws.

    “We thought the prime minister will talk about some important steps for the welfare of the farmers. Over 206 farmers have lost their lives, but the prime minister is not willing to say anything about it,” Congress’ leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told reporters outside Parliament.

    As the prime minister defended the three farm laws during his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks to the President for his address, the opposition members including Chowdhury repeatedly disrupted his speech.

    ALSO READ: Rajasthan Congress MLA reaches Assembly on tractor to show support for farmers

    The PM alleged that the uproar and attempts at disruption were part of a well-planned strategy to ensure that truth doesn’t come out in the open.

    He said that the new laws only offer an “option” to farmers and the existing systems will stay, so there was no reason to oppose them.

    He said reforms are needed in every sphere for the progress of society.

    PM Modi said that the Congress and other parties have failed to pinpoint the provisions which they find problematic, following which the Congress members raised slogans demanding the repeal of the laws and walked out of the House.

    ALSO READ: ‘Congress will scrap new farm laws if voted to power’ – Priyanka Gandhi at mahapanchayat

    “He was talking about what his government has done for farmers and in that he also said the farm laws would benefit some people…But I said why are you bringing a law which is not beneficial for all. You say all is well, if that is so, what is the need to bring the laws,” Chowdhury said.

    He is the prime minister of all, and all farmers want that these farm laws to be withdrawn, the Congress leader said.

    “Six letters — REPEAL. You have already said it can be suspended for 18 months, so if you can suspend it for 18 months, why can’t it be withdrawn,” he asked.

    The Congress leader said the laws should be withdrawn and new ones should be brought only after thorough consultation with the farmers.

    ALSO READ: Rakesh Tikait address ‘mahapanchayat’ at Kurukshetra, criticises PM Narendra Modi’s remark on protesters

    “We don’t just oppose for the sake of it, we oppose as we cannot see farmers in such a state. What kind of country are you building where nails are put on the ground, barbed wires are put near protest sites,” he said, criticising the government.

    “We believed that the prime minister will take note of what we are saying and will say something to satisfy our concerns (on the farm laws), but nothing of that sort happened, so we were forced to walk out,” he said.

    As the Congress members, including Rahul Gandhi, were leaving the House midway in his speech, PM Modi took a dig at the opposition party.

    “The condition of the Congress party, a very old party which ruled the country for about six decades, has now become such that its Rajya Sabha unit moves in one direction while the Lok Sabha unit moves in another direction,” Modi said.

    Such a “divided” and “confused” party can neither do any good for itself nor can it think of any solution to the country’s problems, the prime minister said.

  • Agitating farmers not aiming change power at Centre: Tikait

    Tikait said that the agitation will be long drawn and continue till government starts talks with farmer leaders.

  • Narendra Modi government treating farmers the way it should be treating China on borders: Asaduddin Owaisi

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Asking the government to withdraw the three farm laws, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday accused the Centre of treating farmers the way it should be treating China on the borders of the country.

    Participating in a discussion in Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address, Owaisi said the “infrastructure” that should have been created at the borders to check Chinese troops was erected at Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders to prevent farmers from entering Delhi.

    He wanted to know why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “shying” away from taking the name of China which is responsible for the killing of Indian soldiers and constructing a village in Arunachal Pradesh.

    Owaisi hoped that during his reply to the debate, PM Modi will blame China for its actions against India.

    He said the government should rescind the three controversial farm laws and contended that Parliament was not competent to legislate on agriculture which is a state subject.

    He also wondered as to how the government decided to suspend the three farm laws for one-and-half years once they have been passed by Parliament.

    Owaisi also came down heavily on the government for not filing an appeal against the court judgement in the Babri demolition case acquitting all the accused.

    It is a signal to the cadre to repeat similar kinds of activities at Mathura and Kashi, he alleged Referring to the ‘andolanjivi’ remark of Modi, Owaisi said that he was an ‘andolanjivi’ as it was the right of people to protest against the policies of the government.

    India is a democracy and not a monarchy, he added.

    Hanuman Beniwal (RLP) said that he had left the NDA because of the farm laws and will not hesitate to quit Lok Sabha in support of the demands of the farmers who are protesting at the borders of Delhi.

    He claimed that even BJP members privately admit that they will have to face problems in the next general elections on account of the farm laws.

    Meenakshi Lekhi (BJP) said that there was an international conspiracy to destabilise and defame India over the farmers’ protest issue.

    She said that protests were organised at the time of the visit of the then US President Donald Trump and now on January 26 to catch the attention of global media.

  • Gujjar leader Madan Bhaiyya alleges police being used to pressure him on farmers’ stir issue

    By PTI
    GHAZIABAD: Gujjar leader and former MLA Madan Bhaiyya on Tuesday alleged that police was being used to pressure him after he extended support to the farmers’ agitation against the agri laws.

    He made the allegation at a mahapanchayat in Jawli village, a day after police had descended on his residence while looking for a criminal.

    Superintendent of Police (Rural) Iraj Raja, however, denied the charge and claimed that they had acted on information received about a wanted criminal.

    “Arrival of police of two police stations at my residence was part of a political conspiracy against me,” Bhaiyya alleged at the meeting in which residents of Jawli and nearby villages participated.

    “The officials saying they were here in search of a man who is wanted in a case is a totally a lame excuse. In fact, it is a tactic to mount pressure on me so that I may not extend my community’s support to the farmers’ protest,” he alleged.

    SP Raja said police were just searching for an accused wanted in a criminal case.

    “The action was taken on information received by police and his location was said to be at the ex-MLA’s house. But the information was wrong. There was no political pressure behind police action,” he told PTI.

  • BJP facing ‘spontaneous anger’ of farmers: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said BJP leaders were facing ‘spontaneous anger’ of farmers and rejected as ‘hilarious’ claims of the saffron party’s state unit that the protesters were not peasants but Congress workers.

    Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma had earlier in the day accused the Punjab government of organising protests under the guise of farmers’ agitation to “prevent” candidates of the saffron party from campaigning ahead of the February 14 civic polls.

    Singh said the ‘cornered’ BJP failed to muster candidates to contest even 50 per cent of the civic body seats and ‘tried pathetically’ to shift blame for the farmers’ wrath on the Congress.

    “The BJP should start preparing itself for political oblivion…Punjab would prove to be the party’s (BJP) nemesis,” Singh said in a statement here. The BJP’s fate is now sealed, not just in Punjab but also at the Centre, where its despotic rule is all set to end,” he said.

    “What you see on the roads, and which you allege to be the Congress’ handiwork, is the spontaneous anger triggered among farmers by your arrogant anti-farmer attitude,” said Singh.

    He rejected as ‘hilarious’ Punjab BJP’s claims that the protesters it is facing on its campaign trail for the upcoming municipal polls are not farmers but Congress workers.

    Several BJP leaders are facing the farmers’ ire while on campaign trail for the civic polls, however, the state BJP has accused the ruling party of ‘orchestrating’ the protests.

    Singh said, “The farm laws will sound the death-knell for this repressive, despotic and autocratic party. For nearly seven years they have trampled over human rights, as well as the dignity and aspirations of Indians in every possible way, and now it is the people’s turn.”

    If the so-called urban party could not find candidates to field in more than half of the state’s civic body seats, one can only imagine what they will face in rural Punjab if they ever decide to contest there, said the chief minister.

    “Did you really think you could get away with abusing farmers and violating their democratic and constitutional rights as you have been doing for the last so many months without any consequences,” Singh asked BJP’s Punjab leadership.

    It was unfortunate that even now, the ‘power-drunk’ BJP was refusing to look the truth in the eye, and was taking refuge in ‘nonsensical excuses’ to hide its own shocking failure to address the concerns of the farmers, he stated.

    The farmers are angry with the BJP and are looking for every opportunity to vent their ire on their leaders, he claimed, adding that were it not for the excessive police deployment during the outings of these leaders, things could have really got out of hand.

    Given the threat perception due to the ‘farmers’ ire’ against the BJP, Punjab Police is deploying an unprecedented number of personnel wherever their leaders are going for campaigning, he said.

    Scorning BJP’s charge of the police being mute spectators while they are being stopped from entering constituencies for electioneering, the chief minister said this was ‘ridiculous’ considering that the protesters themselves were complaining of being subjected to lathi-charge by the police.

    “The fact is that not only the Punjab Police but also the Election Commission (EC), to whom you keep running with your fabricated and frivolous complaints, are doing their job sincerely,” he said.

    To the party leadership’s assertion that it will spring a surprise in Punjab in the Assembly polls, he said, “Yes, there will be a big surprise in 2022, with BJP’s very existence being wiped out from our soil.”