News Analysis India

Tag: Farmers Protest

  • Had asked police to give me intelligence updates on farmers protest: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday said he had ‘naturally asked’ police to give him regular intelligence updates related to the farmers’ protest in the national capital.

    He said this while rejecting the Opposition claim that he deputed police officers to ‘negotiate’ with farmers protesting against the Centre’s farm laws at Delhi’s borders.

    Dubbing the accusations as ‘completely baseless and malicious’, the CM in a statement said there was no question of deputing police officers to negotiate with farmers.

    ALSO READ: Government-farmers meet – Unions say ready to fight till death; All eyes on Supreme Court hearing

    The CM said he had made it categorically clear that the ball was in the Centre’s court, with the Punjab government having no role to play in the negotiations.

    With farmer protests going on in his state since long before the agitation started at the Delhi border, he had ‘naturally asked’ police officers to give him regular intelligence reports and updates on the situation not just from the national capital but also across Punjab, said Amarinder Singh.

    He trashed the ‘twisted and senseless’ interpretation being given to the presence of a few Punjab Police personnel at the farmers’ protest site.

    ALSO READ: Repeal farm laws, we’ll return home: Farmer leaders tell Govt; agri Minister says keep national interest in mind

    It is the job of the state police to keep tabs on the evolving situation and it is his job as both chief minister and home minister to remain updated about all developments, he added.

    “Anyone who believes that a couple of police officers can negotiate with farmers or persuade the kisan leaders to accept the Centre’s suggestions on amendments to the farm laws is really naive,” the CM said.

    The Aam Aadmi Party while citing some media reports on Thursday had alleged that the CM had assigned two Punjab IPS officers at the Singhu border to engage with the farmer leaders to persuade them to accept the Centre’s offer.

    ALSO READ: Farmers’ stir – Rahul Gandhi appeals to people to join ‘Kisaan ke Liye Bole Bharat’ campaign

    The CM said both SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, as well as their party colleagues, were resorting to ‘lies and deceit in their desperation to cover up their own failures’ in the entire crisis triggered by the farm laws.

    Pointing to Sukhbir’s claim that the resolutions passed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha against the three farm bills had not been sent to the governor, he said the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president had clearly lost it.

    “Or perhaps he is suffering from serious amnesia since his party colleagues, including his own brother-in-law Bikram Majithia, had accompanied me to the governor’s house for submitting the resolution and the three state amendment Bills,” said the chief minister, advising Badal to seek medical help.

  • Government-farmers meet: Unions say ready to fight till death; All eyes on Supreme Court hearing

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The government’s negotiations with farm unions to end over-a-month-long agitation appeared heading nowhere at the eighth round of talks on Friday as the Centre ruled out repealing the three contentious laws claiming nationwide support for reforms while the farmer leaders said they are ready to fight till death and their ‘ghar waapsi’ will happen only after ‘law waapsi’.

    The next meeting has been fixed for January 15, amid indications that any headway will now depend on a Supreme Court hearing scheduled for January 11 on a batch of petitions related to the protest.

    The farmer groups have also decided to meet on January 11 to decide their next course of action, even as many leaders said they have lost hope now that any resolution could be reached even in the next round of negotiations.

    The meeting at Vigyan Bhawan in the heart of the national capital lasted for little over two hours, during which just about one hour of discussions took place, after which union leaders went on a maun vrat (vow of silence) holding placards with ‘Jeetenge Ya Marenge’ (We will win or die) and did not take a lunch break, while the three union ministers left the room for their own internal consultations.

    ALSO READ: Repeal farm laws, we’ll return home: Farmer leaders tell Govt; agri Minister says keep national interest in mind

    Briefing the media after the talks, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said no decision could be reached as the farmer leaders did not present alternatives to their demand for the repeal of the laws.

    He hoped that the unions will come up with alternatives in the next meeting for the consideration of the government.

    Union leaders, however, insisted they do not want anything less than the repeal of the laws and they are ready to fight till death.

    They also threatened that they are prepared to celebrate Lohri and Baisakhi festivals at their protest sites.

    The two harvest-related festivals, one on January 13 and the other on April 13, are celebrated with much fanfare by the farming community in northern India.

    ALSO READ: Farmers’ stir – Rahul Gandhi appeals to people to join ‘Kisaan ke Liye Bole Bharat’ campaign

    The union leaders also said the farmers, thousands of whom are staying put at Delhi borders despite extremely cold weather and heavy rains, will continue with their plan to hold a tractor rally on Republic Day on January 26.

    Farmer representatives said the discussions between the two sides were not entirely cordial this time and the pitch was high at times, while emotions ran high outside the venue also.

    Woman farmer leader Ravinder Kaur of Jai Kisan Andolan, crying profusely, said many mothers have lost their sons and many daughters have lost their fathers but the government was not ready to budge.

    “The government is testing our strength, but we will not bow down. It seems we will have to spend Lohri and Baisakhi festivals here at protest sides,” farmer leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan said, adding that it was unlikely that any resolution can happen in the next round of talks as well.

    Another union leader Hannan Mollah said farmers are ready to fight the government till death, but going to court was not an option.

    ALSO READ: ‘New laws hurt farmers’ – Governor reads Kerala’s resolution against Centres’ agri policies in assembly

    Several leaders said the government suggested at one point that why farmer groups do not become a party in the ongoing case in the Supreme Court.

    Tomar, however, said the government did not suggest anything of that sort, though the issue came up because the apex court is already scheduled to hear related matters on January 11.

    “We are a democracy and when laws are passed in Parliament, the Supreme Court has the authority to analyse them. Everyone, including the government, is obviously committed to the apex court and its decisions. The government is always committed to any direction given by the Supreme Court,” he said.

    Sources said the next date has been decided after keeping in mind the January 11 hearing as the government feels the apex court may look into the legality of the three laws, besides other issues related to farmers’ protests.

    During the meeting, prominent farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal had said several Supreme Court orders in the past have declared agriculture a state subject but unions are not keen to take the legal route in the current scenario.

    ALSO READ: Agri laws – Wisconsin Speaker supports farmers’ protests; writes to Indian, US envoys

    “Ideally, the Centre should not interfere in agriculture matters as various Supreme Court orders have declared farming a state subject. It seems you (the government) do not want to resolve the issue as talks have been happening for so many days. In that case, please give us a clear answer and we will go. Why to waste everyone’s time,” he said.

    Another leader said at the meeting, “Our ‘ghar wapsi’ (return to home) can happen only if you do ‘law wapsi’ (repeal of laws).”

    All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) member Kavitha Kuruganti, who was also present in the meeting, said the government told unions that it can not and will not repeal these laws.

    Later, Rajewal told PTI that the government suggested to the unions that why don’t they become a party in the ongoing case on three farm laws in the Supreme Court.

    “We rejected their suggestion outrightly and said the farmers’ unions didn’t and won’t approach the court. Our sole mission is to get these laws repealed and our agitation will continue till that happens,” he said.

    ALSO READ: SC to hear pleas against new agri laws, all issues related to farmers protest on January 11

    Asked whether there was any progress in talks beyond 50 per cent, Tomar said: “It is stuck at 50 per cent as of now.”

    In the sixth round of talks held on December 30 last year, some common ground was reached on two demands — decriminalisation of stubble-burning and continuation of power subsidies — after which Tomar had said that 50 per cent resolution has been reached as two out of four issues got settled.

    But the seventh round of talks on January 4 again ended inconclusively as the unions stuck to their demand for a complete repeal of three farm laws, while the government wanted to discuss only “problematic” clauses or other alternatives to end the stalemate.

    The government has presented these laws, enacted in September last year, as major agri-market reforms aimed at improving farmers’ income and their lives, but unions have billed them as pro-corporate and against the existing mandi and MSP procurement systems.

    Asked if the government is open to giving an option to states for implementing the laws, Tomar said, “Farmers have not given any such proposal. But, the government has time and again said it will consider all alternative proposals.”

    ALSO READ: Undeterred by cold weather, rains, protesting farmers warn to intensify stir further

    On whether the government is giving such a proposal to unions, the minister said it should come from farmer groups.

    “Any proposal from me or you do not matter,” Tomar told reporters.

    Asked if the government thinks religious leaders like Baba Lakha Singh can mediate with farmers to resolve the issue, Tomar said: “We have not approached anyone directly…Baba Lakha Singhji, a Sikh religious leader, came to meet me as he is pained about farmers protesting in cold weather and he wished for an early resolution.”

    “He presented farmers’ issue before me and I told him about the government’s legal stand…I urged him to talk to farmer leaders,” Tomar said.

    The minister said the farmers can give their proposals to the government directly or through Baba Lakha Singh.

    “We have respect for farmers and for religious leaders. Talks with Baba Lakha Singh happened in a cordial atmosphere. I am hopeful that he must have talked to the people concerned,” he added.

    The minister, who was accompanied by Food, Commerce and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash during the talks, said the protesting farmers want the repeal of the laws, but there are many farmers across the country who support these legislations.

    The minister said the government is respectfully holding talks with those opposing the laws and is also meeting those who are supporting the reforms.

    Asked if the government will invite farm groups supporting the laws in the ninth round of talks, Tomar said there was no such plan as of now but it can be looked into in the future if required.

    On whether the government was ready to set up an informal group to create convergence, Tomar did not give a direct reply and said the discussion on many issues take place during meetings.

    At the outset, Tomar appealed to unions for discussions on the laws while keeping in mind the interest of farmers of the entire country, but farm leaders reiterated their demand that the new Acts must be withdrawn.

    Before the start of the meeting, Tomar had also met senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah for about an hour.

    Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also met Shah separately.

    Later talking to reporters, Khattar said a solution will definitely be reached through mutual dialogue.

  • Farmers’ stir: Rahul Gandhi appeals to people to join ‘Kisaan ke Liye Bole Bharat’ campaign

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday appealed to people to join the social media campaign ‘Kisaan Ke Liye Bole Bharat’ supporting the farmer protests. The campaign started at 10 am.

    “Peaceful protests are an integral part of our democracy. Our farmer brothers and sisters are receiving support from all across the country. You should also join along in support of them so that the anti-farmer laws are repealed. #kisaan_ke_liye_bole_bharat,” Gandhi tweeted.

    मोदी सरकार ने अपने पूँजीपति मित्रों के फ़ायदे के लिए देश के अन्नदाता के साथ विश्वासघात किया है।आंदोलन के माध्यम से किसान अपनी बात कह चुके हैं। अन्नदाताओं की आवाज़ उठाना और उनकी माँगों का समर्थन करना हम सब का कर्तव्य है।#किसान_के_लिए_बोले_भारत pic.twitter.com/3FYFTiNR1N
    — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 8, 2021

    He also shared a video on Twitter related to the campaign asking people to share their views on farmer protests via posts and videos on social media. The video claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party is anti-farmers while Congress works towards their betterment. He said Congress will fight with the farmers to get the three contentious farm laws repealed.

    “The country is going to face a Champaran like tragedy once again. Then there was with British company the farmers had to fight with, now it is with Modi’s friends’ companies. But every farmer of the movement is a Satyagrahi who will continue to fight for his rights,” the Congress tweeted on January 3.

    The Congress party has time and again slammed the Union government over the farm laws. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi met with President Ram Nath Kovind to discuss the laws and the issues faced by protesting farmers.

    Farmers are protesting at the borders of Delhi since November 26 against 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.

  • Government ready to consider any proposal apart form repeal of three farm laws: Narendra Singh Tomar

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A day before the crucial talks between the Centre and the protesting farmer unions, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday said the government is ready to consider any proposal other than repeal of three farm laws, the key demand of the farmers.

    Tomar — who is leading the negotiations along with Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash — said he cannot say right now what would be the outcome of the January 8 meeting with 40 protesting farmer union leaders, to be held at Vighyan Bhavan at 2 PM.

    The minister also denied giving any proposal to Punjab’s Nanaksar Gurudwara head Baba Lakha, a renowned religious leader of the state, for ending the stalemate.

    ALSO READ: Agri laws: Wisconsin Speaker supports farmers’ protests; writes to Indian, US envoys

    “I cannot say anything right now. In fact, it depends on what issues that will come up for discussion in the meeting,” Tomar told reporters when asked about the likely outcome of the January 8 meeting.

    Ahead of the talks with the government, thousands of farmers on Thursday took out tractor marches from protest sites of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders and Haryana’s Rewasan against the three agriculture laws amid heavy police deployment.

    According to the protesting farmer unions, this is just a “rehearsal” for their proposed January 26 tractor parade that will move into the national capital from different parts of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

    ALSO READ: SC to hear pleas against new agri laws, all issues related to farmers protest on January 11

    The last seven rounds of talks between the Centre and the 40 protesting farmers’ leaders have remained inconclusive, although there was some breakthrough in the December 30 meeting when the government conceded to two demands of the agitating farmers pertaining to power subsidy and stubble burning.

    Asked if the government discussed a proposal with the Nanaksar Gurudwara head, the minister said, “The government has not given any proposal. The government has said that it will consider any proposal other than repeal (of the laws).”

    Asked if the proposals included giving the state governments freedom to implement the new central laws, he said, “No.”

    ALSO READ: Undeterred by cold weather, rains, protesting farmers warn to intensify stir further

    “I keep talking to him (Baba Lakha). He came to Delhi today, it became news. I have old association with him,” the minister said.

    When asked if he would meet other religious leaders from Punjab who can mediate between the government and the protesting farmers to end the stalemate, Tomar said, “Whosoever will request for a meeting, I will meet them — be it farmers or leaders.”

    Separately, Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Chaudhary said the new farm laws give freedom to farmers and the government is hopeful of ending the current logjam at the earliest.

    ALSO EDITORIAL: Help farmers build viable cooperatives

    “The reforms (measures) taken now are just the beginning. More reforms are to be taken. Next, the pesticides bill and seed bill will come…,” he noted.

    The protesting farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at various borders of the national capital for over a month now seeking repeal of the three farm laws and legal backing of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

  • Thursday’s event a rehearsal for January 26 tractor parade: Farmer leader

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: With thousands of tractors bedecked with tricolours and farmer outfits’ flag of myriad colours swamping the KMP Expressway on the outskirts of Delhi on Thursday, a prominent key leader dubbed the rally as a “rehearsal for the January 26 tractor parade”.

    “It was a rehearsal for the proposed January 26 tractor parade,” Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) leader Shingara Singh Mann told PTI over the phone.

    He said farmers started their march from the Singhu and Tikri borders and drove towards the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway in the morning and then they came back later.

    ALSO READ: Undeterred by cold weather, rains, protesting farmers warn to intensify stir further

    “The rally was peaceful and was a complete success,” he added.

    As farmers, especially youths owing allegiance to various farm bodies took part in a march, their tractors sported tricolour, flags of various farmers’ unions and banners mentioning ‘No Farmer No Food’.

    Farmers also shouted slogans against the Centre for not acceding to their demands.

    “We also want to give a message to the Centre through this rally that we will not return till it accepts our demands,” said a protesting farmer, adding it also shows farmers’ resolve for their fight against the farm legislations.

    ALSO READ: SC to hear pleas against new agri laws, all issues related to farmers protest on January 11

    Balraj Kundu, independent MLA from Meham in Haryana’s Rohtak district also participated in a tractor march at the KMP expressway.

    “If the government continues to remain adamant, farmers will take out a tractor parade in Delhi on January 26,” said Kundu while talking to reporters in Rohtak.

    Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher slammed the BJP-led government for not accepting their demands.

    ALSO READ: Agri laws: Wisconsin Speaker supports farmers’ protests; writes to Indian, US envoys

    He also accused the government of adopting “double standards” on this issue.

    “On one hand, the government is holding talks with farmer leaders and on the other, its ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal are saying these farm laws are in he interest of farmers,” said Pandher.

    Thousands of farmers, mostly from Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh have been camping at three Delhi border points — Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur for more than a month, demanding a repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee for the minimum support price for their crops.

    ALSO EDITORIAL: Help farmers build viable cooperatives

    Meanwhile, the adequate security personnel were deployed by the Haryana police at KMP toll plaza in the wake of a tractor march.

  • Narendra Modi government has lost trust of entire farming community: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A day before the government’s eighth round of talks with protesting farm unions, SAD leader and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the Centre has lost the trust of the entire farming community and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should directly talk to agitating farmers.

    Expressing her anguish over the pain of farmers, Badal, leader of the ruling BJP’s erstwhile ally, said, “It is strange that farmers are spending nights in open during the chilling winters and even then their demands are falling on deaf ears.”

    In an interview to PTI, Badal who resigned from Union Cabinet in September last year when the three farm bills were being passed in Lok Sabha, said what farmers have gone through in last six-seven weeks, is the same what she went through when she was a Union Minister.

    ALSO READ: Agri laws: Wisconsin Speaker supports farmers’ protests; writes to Indian, US envoys

    “…To avoid the situation which has arisen now and the protest, I kept pleading for months, whether it was in cabinet meetings or in direct meetings with top leaders of the central government that please listen to farmers before bringing these three bills as they are ‘annadaatas’ of the country, otherwise it would lead to agitations and protests. But my all pleas fell on to deaf ears,” she said.

    Asking who will be held responsible for deaths of farmers during the protest, Badal said the Centre has lost the trust of farmers across the country.

    “Farmers are dying at the doorstep of the central government while protesting for their demands. Who will be responsible for deaths of ‘annadaatas’ of the country?” Badal said.

    ALSO READ: SC to hear pleas against new agri laws, all issues related to farmers protest on January 11

    Talking about the ongoing meetings between protesting farmers and Centre, Badal said after seven rounds of meetings nothing concrete has come out.

    “After several rounds of meetings if ministers are unable to resolve the farmers’ issues then Prime Minister Narendra Modi should directly talk to protesting farmers,” Badal said.

    She also attacked the Congress-led Punjab government and state chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and said he has failed to fulfill his responsibility as guardian of the state and its people.

    ALSO READ: Undeterred by cold weather, rains, protesting farmers warn to intensify stir further

    “Both the central and state governments are equal partners in this crime against farmers. While farmers were sitting on dharna, the Chief Minister of Punjab was having fun in his farmhouse. Captain Amarinder Singh has miserably failed to fulfil his responsibilities as chief minister of Punjab and as guardian of its people,” Badal said.

    Harsimrat Kaur Badal was Union Food Processing Minister in the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and resigned when the bills were taken up for passage in Lok Sabha.

    Her husband and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had announced her resignation in the lower house while participating in the debate on the three farm bills.

    Days later, SAD also moved out of the ruling NDA breaking its decades-old alliance with the BJP.

  • Government wants to privatise farm sector: Kamal Nath

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Congress president on Thursday alleged that the Centre wants to privatise the farm sector with its three new agri-marketing laws, which are being opposed by thousands of cultivators.

    Talking to reporters here while announcing the launch of his party’s protest against the government and an awakening drive for farmers which will continue till January 23, Nath claimed the “RSS and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh were votaries of privatisation since the beginning”.

    “They (the two organisations) also opposed the nationalisation of banks carried out by former prime minister Indira Gandhi,” the former state chief minister claimed.

    “The (present) government wants to privatise the farm sector with the three agri-marketing laws,” he alleged.

    The farmers of Madhya Pradesh are simple and the three new laws are against their interests, he claimed.

    Thousands of have been camping at several Delhi border points for over 40 days, demanding repeal of the new farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) for their crops, besides other issues.

    Nath alleged that the “Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its political branches – the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the BJP – favour a capitalists-driven market economy and are votaries of privatisation”.

    He equated the three new laws to a “springboard made for industrialists” to venture into the “lucrative” farm produce market.

    In contrast, the Congress was a votary of socialism and that is why PSUs were set up under the Congress’s rule earlier, the former Union minister said.

    “Big corporate and multinational companies are eyeing the farm produce market which is of Rs 15 lakh crore to Rs 18 lakh crore in India.

    The three laws have been brought for these companies to foray into this sector,” Nath alleged.

    In contrast, the Congress has always favoured a “socialist economy and ideology”, he asserted.

    “The RSS and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh opposed public sector undertakings and big dams after Independence.

    They had opposed PSUs like the Steel Authority of India, the National Thermal Power Corporation, the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and the Indian Oil Corporation,” he alleged.

    Referring to the Shanta Kumar committee, he said it recommended that the central government should buy produce under MSP from states whose yield was deficit, whereas the state government should procure food grains from states (under MSP) where the agriculture production was surplus.

    The central government won’t need much money to buy produce from the deficit states as the state governments would make food grains’ procurement from surplus states, Nath said.

    “We demand that a law be brought to procure food grains of maximum farmers under the MSP mandatorily,” he said.

    “Our protest (against the government) for the farmers’ cause at various levels including blocks and districts across the state – will continue till January 23,” Nath said.

    On January 15, a two-hour-long “chakka jam” (road blockades) will be held from noon across the state, he said.

    The Congress would also hold a massive “kisan mahapanchyat” (farmers’ meet) on January 20 in the state’s Morena district, he said.

    On January 23, farmers would gherao the Raj Bhawan (governor’s house) here over the demand for a repeal of the three new agri laws, the Congress veteran said.

    The Congress will launch a farmers’ awakening programme from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh on January 16, the leader of opposition in the state Assembly said.

    Nath said he will address his party’s first awareness meeting for farmers on January 16.

    The party would hold such meetings at different places, he added.

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

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

  • Nadda to visit Bengal’s rice-bowl on January 9 to woo farmers

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA: In a bid to blunt TMC chief Mamata Banerjee’s barrage of attacks in the backdrop of farmers’ protest, BJP’s national president JP Nadda will visit Katwa in East Burdwan district, known as Bengal’s rice bowl, on January 9 and address farmers on the issue of newly passed Farm Bills.

    In an attempt to woo farmers, Nadda will meet a few of them and collect rice as a “good gesture” which would deliver a message that the BJP-led Centre is not anti-farmers.

    With Nadda’s Bengal visit, the party is all set to launch an outreach drive titled “Shunun Chashibhai” (listen to farmer brothers) across the state, and BJP leaders will carry out a door-to-door campaign in the areas where people depend on agriculture for livelihood.

    “The ruling TMC is preparing for an attack on our party on the farmers’ issue. There is a large number of people directly or indirectly depend on agriculture. If the ruling party portrays the BJP as a force that is against the farmers, it will cause a jolt to us in the Assembly elections. Before they start attacking us, we will have to reach the farmers and Naddaji’s event was scheduled aiming on it,” said a senior BJP leader.

    There are 71.23 lakh farm families in West Bengal of whom 96% are small and marginal farmers.

    The saffron camp’s Bengal chapter assigned Hooghly MP Locket Chatterjee, who is the observer of the party’s farmers’ wing, to oversee the new outreach initiative. “Naddaji’s visit to East Burdwan and farmer families will deliver a positive message. Our outreach drive will be carried out from north Bengal to the remote villages in south Bengal,” she said.

    Sources in the BJP said the party’s lower-tier functionaries would visit farmers’ families door-to-door and make them understand about the positive impacts of the new Farm Bills. “We will also highlight the TMC-led state government’s anti-farmer policy,” said a BJP leader.

    Referring to Nadda’s forthcoming Bengal visit, TMC MP and spokesperson Saugata Roy said he (Nadda) should stand beside the farmers of Punjab and Haryana. “Instead, he is rushing to Katwa. It will not bring them any dividends. People of Bengal understand all these dramas,” he said.

  • SC expresses concern over large gathering of farmers during COVID-19

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Thursday expressed concern over large gatherings of farmers protesting against the new farm laws at Delhi borders and asked the Centre whether they were ‘protected’ against the spread of COVID-19.

    The top was hearing a plea seeking various reliefs including CBI probe into the matter related to assembly of people at Anand Vihar Bus Terminal and the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizammudin Markaz in the national capital after the nationwide lockdown was announced last year to contain the pandemic.

    READ| Over 2,500 farmers take out tractor march in Delhi against farm laws

    “The same problem is going to arise in farmers’ agitation. I do not know if farmers are protected from COVID. So, the same problem is going to arise. It is not that everything is over,”  said Chief Justice S A Bobde, heading a bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.

    The top court asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, whether protesting farmers are protected from COVID-19.

    Mehta replied, “Certainly not”. Mehta said that he will file a report within two weeks on what has been done and what needs to be done.

    The plea, filed by lawyer Supriya Pandita, alleged that Delhi police had failed to control the congregation of people and the Nizamuddin Markaz chief Maulana Saad was still evading arrest.

    Advocate Om Prakash Parihar, appearing for the petitioner, said that no statement has been made by the Centre about the whereabouts of Maulana Saad.

    The bench told Parihar, “Why are you interested in one person? We are on the issue of COVID. Why do you want controversy? We are interested that COVID guidelines should be there”.

    The top court issued formal notice in the matter after which Mehta said that he will file a report in the matter.

      The Centre had on June 5 last year told the top court that probe into assembly of people at Anand Vihar Bus Terminal in east Delhi during nationwide lockdown and the Tablighi Jamaat event is being conducted on day-to-day basis by Delhi Police and there was no need for CBI investigation.

  • Delhi Chalo agitation: SC raises concern over ‘no improvement’ on ground

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed concern over the ongoing farmers’ protest and said there was absolutely no improvement in the situation and slated the hearing of all the petitions challenging the Centre’s new farm laws and the ones raising issues related to the agitation on January 11.

    The bench headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde’s observation came while it took up a petition filed by advocate ML Sharma, who had challenged the constitutional validity of the laws.In his petition, Sharma has alleged that the 1954 Amendment Act of the Constitution, which had included Agriculture in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, was passed improperly.

    He has argued that the inclusion of agriculture in the Concurrent list was unconstitutional. Initially, the bench indicated that all the pending matters related to the legal challenge to farm laws, as well as the ongoing protest, will be taken up in the court on January 8. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Attorney General KK Venugopal objected to this.

    children of protesters study at a makeshift classroom at the Singhu border.The ongoing protest entered its 42nd day | Shekhar Yadav 

    Venugopal told the court that there is a good chance that parties may come to some conclusion soon, as another round of talks is scheduled for Friday. Mehta argued that since healthy talks are going on between farmers and Centre, it would not be advisable to take up the matters immediately. Adding to this, the A-G argued that filing of response in the court by the Centre could foreclose avenues of negotiations underway between farmers and Centre.

    The bench then said it will like to take up the petitions challenging the farm laws on Monday. At least six petitions challenging the constitutional and legal validity of the three agri laws are pending before the apex court. Besides, two PILs have been filed seeking removal of the protesting farmers from the Delhi borders.

    No invite to ‘anti-farmer’ Modi: Gurdwara CommitteeOwing to his ‘anti-farmer’ stand, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided not to send special invite to PM Narendra Modi for the Sikh centenary events. Normally, the SGPC — the highest Sikh religious body — extends special invites to the PM and the President on historical occasions. “We have decided not to extend any special invitation to PM Modi for the upcoming centenary events, including the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur,” SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur said.

    ‘Unions must understand sentiments behind reforms’Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday urged protesting unions to understand the sentiments behind reforms brought through the farm laws. He also expressed confidence that the unions will focus on farmers’ interests and help the government reach a solution through constructive dialogue. The government is committed towards the farmers and their interests, he asserted. The next round of talks is scheduled for January 8.