News Analysis India

Tag: farmers protests

  • Repeal anti-farmer acts now: Mamata on Shastri’s death anniversary

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday targetted the Centre over the new farm laws, demanding their withdrawal as she paid tribute to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his 55th death anniversary.

    Remembering Shastri’s slogan of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’, Banerjee said farmers are the heroes of the nation.

    “Tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri, former prime minister, on his death anniversary. He gave us the inspirational slogan ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’. We are proud of our farmer brothers and sisters. Farmers are the heroes of our nation. The Centre MUST repeal the anti-farmer Acts NOW!,” she tweeted.

    Banerjee has been vocal about her opposition to the new farm laws, against which farmers are protesting outside Delhi for weeks.

    Her party, the Trinamool Congress, has also extended support to the protest.

  • Amid farmers’ protests, another tussle brews over Punjab road projects 

    Express News Service
    CHANDIGARH: Amid the ongoing tussle between farmers and the central government, another confrontation is building up in Punjab where a section of farmers are refusing to give up their land for two major highway projects ­— the Delhi-Katra expressway and the Jamnagar expressway. 

    The state government is fearing the wrath of farmers who are concerned that the proposed highways would cut their lands into two and that the compensation offered is very low.

    The leaders representing these farmers are pressurising the state government to inform the Centre that these road projects should be shelved. 

    Sukhdev Singh Dhillon, president of the Delhi-Katra Expressway Sangharsh Committee, said the state government was planning to acquire 1.10 lakh acres of land for the two projects.

    “These lands are spread in more than 315 villages in 13 districts of the state. The government has already fixed the price as Rs 9.67 lakh per acre at Santokhpura village in Sangrur. This is below even the market price,” he said.

    “These  projects are not good for the state as these expressways would cut through farmlands. Also, they will destroy several village ponds.”

    Prabhdial Singh Joshan, who has 26 acres land, said his 3.5 acres lwould fall under the project.

    “The house I built would also be razed down. Our lands would be cut into pieces. In some cases, tube wells would come on one side of the highway while the farmlands would come on the other side,” he said.

    Meanwhile, an official said they are trying to raise the compensation by issuing a fresh notification. 

    Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has asked the state government not  “cheat” the farmers  by announcing a “ridiculous” price of Rs 9.67 lakh per acre.

  • Protesting farmers ransack venue of CM Khattar’s meet to explain ‘benefits’ of farm laws; police use teargas shells

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Protesting farmers on Sunday took control and ransacked the venue of ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ programme at Kaimla village in Haryana’s Karnal district where Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was to address people to highlight the “benefits” of the Centre’s three agriculture laws.

    Earlier, Haryana Police used water cannons and lobbed teargas shells to prevent farmers from marching towards the village.

    However, farmers reached the venue and disrupted the ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ programme.

    They damaged the stage and broke chairs, tables and flower pots at the venue.

    The farmers also took control over a makeshift helipad where chief minister’s helicopter was to land.

    The programme was cancelled due to an unruly act by farmers at the behest of BKU leader Gurnam Singh Charuni, BJP leader Raman Mallik said.

    Police had made elaborate security arrangements for the chief minister’s visit to the village where he was to speak to people to highlight the “benefits” of the Centre’s three farm laws.

    Karnal: Protesting farmers assemble in Kaimla village where Haryana CM @mlkhattar will hold Kisan Mahapanchayat shortly.Police use tear gas to disperse protestors. pic.twitter.com/nTPqt4wR1m
    — Prasar Bharati News Services पी.बी.एन.एस. (@PBNS_India) January 10, 2021

    Under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), farmers, who have been demanding that the laws be repealed, had earlier announced to oppose the ‘kisan mahapanchayat’.

    Farmers were carrying black flags and shouting slogans against the BJP-led government as they attempted to march towards Kaimla village.

    Police had put up barricades at the entry points of the village to prevent protesting farmers from reaching the programme venue.

    The situation turned tense as farmers were adamant that they would not allow the chief minister to hold the programme.

    Policemen were seen trying to pacify the agitating farmers but they went ahead to take control of the stage.

    “We will not allow the government to hold this programme,” a protester said.

    Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala slammed Chief Minister Khattar for using water cannons and teargas shells against farmers.

  • Farm laws: Congress to stage protest outside governor houses across country on January 15

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress party on Saturday announced that it will stage protests outside governor houses across the country on January 15 to extend its support to the ongoing farmers’ agitation.

    “Why the government is not fulfilling its duties towards people? The government is sold out to few capitalists. The Congress party has decided to celebrate ‘Kisan Adhikar Diwas’ on January 15 while holding protest and demonstration at district headquarters. We will also organise rallies and after the rallies, we will march towards governor houses across the country. Now, the time has come to listen farmers’ voices,” said Congress’ General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala.

    This comes a day after the eighth round of talks between the government and the farmer unions remained inconclusive. The government asked farmer unions to “give an option other than repealing” and the next round of talks is proposed for January 15.

    While addressing a press conference here, Surjewala alleged that government is playing the games of meetings instead of repealing “black laws”.

    “Instead of repealing the black laws, Modi government is playing meeting-meeting, giving dates for talks. Farmers have been protesting for the last 40 days and 60 farmers have died. Prime Minister has not spoken a word condoling the demise of those farmers. This is the fight against the attrocities of government by farmers,” he added.

    ALSO READ: Farmers port out from Jio in Mysuru in protest against farm laws

    The Congress party will also run a campaign on social media with *SpeakUpForFarmers on January 15, Surjewala said.

    This comes after a meeting, which was charied by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, with party general secretaries and in-charges in connection with the ongoing farmers’ agitation at the borders of Delhi.

    According to sources, in the virtual meeting discussion was held on the situation and to chalk out a strategy to support farmer’s protests. Congress has been in support of the farmers in their movement against the newly enacted farm laws by the Centre in September.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had on Friday alleged 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 farm laws repealed.

    ALSO READ: Farmers protest at Delhi borders against Shaheen Bagh verdict, petitioner to Supreme Court

    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.

    With concerns that farm laws would weaken the minimum support system and mandi systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates, farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital for over a month 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.

    Maintaining that the apprehensions are misplaced, the government has ruled out repealing the laws and asked farmer leaders to hold a discussion on clause by clause of the laws.

  • Just before crucial eighth round of talks, government says hopeful of resolving farmers’ issues

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Hours before the eighth round of formal talks between the Centre and the farmers’ groups agitating against three recent farm laws, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhury hoped that a resolution will come out of Friday’s meeting.

    The eighth round of talks between three Union ministers — Narendra Singh Tomar, Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash — and the 40 protesting farmer unions to end the farmers’ agitation is scheduled to begin at the Vigyan Bhawan here at 2 pm.

    Just before the talks, Union Agriculture Minister Tomar is likely to call on Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the issue, sources said.

    Talking to PTI, Choudhury said, “I am hopeful that a resolution will be reached at Friday’s meeting. We could have ended the deadlock by now had the protesting farmer unions discussed the issues raised at the first meeting.”

    There was no demand for a repeal of the three farm laws at the first meeting, he added.

    Asserting that the new laws enacted by the Centre are in the interest of farmers, Choudhury said the legislations are just a beginning and added that the unions are agitating against the laws under the “influence of arhtiyas (commission agents)”.

    “Next, the Pesticide (Management) Bill and the Seed Bill will come. At that time too, farmers can be misguided,” he said.

    Asked if the Centre would encourage religious leaders from Punjab to mediate between the government and the protesting farmers, Choudhury said, “We welcome everyone. We want a resolution. If they are ready to talk in that direction, we welcome them.”

    Punjab’s Nanaksar Gurdwara head Baba Lakha, a renowned religious leader of the state, met Tomar on Thursday and wished to mediate between the Centre and the protesting farmers.

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

  • Farmers will gain from freight corridor, India to develop rapidly: PM  

    Express News Service
    CHANDIGARH: The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor is a “game changer” for India in the 21st century, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, after inaugurating the 306-km Rewari-Madar section of the corridor on Thursday. 

    Some 79 km of this section of the corridor is situated in Mahendragarh and Rewari districts of Haryana and approximately 227 km in Rajasthan’s Jaipur, Ajmer, Sikar, Nagaur, and Alwar districts.

    “The dedicated freight corridors, be it eastern or western, are not just the modern routes for the modern goods trains but are also the corridors of the country’s rapid development,” he said.

    “These corridors will also form the basis for the development of new growth centres and growth points in different cities in the country.’’ 

    He said the western corridor will bring new opportunities to farmers, industrialists and traders in the National Capital Region, Haryana and Rajasthan.  

    The corridor will cover 133 railway stations in nine states.

    At these stations, new multi-modal logistics parks, freight terminals, container depots and parcel hubs will also come up.

    “These will benefit farmers, small industries, cottage industries and big manufacturers,’ Modi added. 

    Using the railway analogy, the PM said the infrastructure work is going on two tracks simultaneously in the country.

    “In last ten to twelve days, several projects have been dedicated to the nation and over Rs 18,000 crores been directly transferred into accounts of farmers with the help of digital infrastructure…,’’ he said. 

  • Sea of tractors touches capital from two sides ahead of Friday’s talks between farmers, Centre 

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH: Equipped with Google maps and contact details of points-persons appointed to guide them, thousands of farmers in tractor-trolleys descended on the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways on the outskirts of the national capital on Thursday in a dress rehearsal of ‘tractor parade’ planned on Republic Day.

    At least 5,000 tractors with over 10,000 farmers took part in the rally on the arc-shaped Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal (Eastern) and Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (Western) expressways. The show of strength came a day before the government and the farmers’ unions sit for eighth round of talks.

    The rally was taken out from four different points — Singhu to Tikri border, Tikri to Kundli, Ghazipur to Palwal and Rewasan to Palwal.

    The farmers camping at Singhu and Tikri borders entered the expressway from Kundli and Sampla, respectively.

    Both the groups met midway before returning to their bases. The farmers protesting at Ghazipur border met the group from Rewasan in Palwal, Haryana, and returned to their camps. 

    Interestingly, the rally on KMP Expressway was joined by a large number of farmers and youngsters from Haryana. Both at Singhu and Tikri borders, it’s the farmers from Punjab who are leading the stir.

    Farmers and youngsters were also seen in cars and jeeps. At the KMP crossing, the volunteers continuously made announcements and alerted the farmers to drive in a lane.

    “The rally was peaceful and was even more successful than expected. We had expected only 500-600 tractors from Haryana but 2,500 came. The farmers from near Delhi joined the rally,” said Paramjeet Singh Katyal of Samyukta Kisan Morcha. 

    the government and the farmer unions stuck to their respective positions on Thursday — the agitating farmers took out tractor rallies to press their demand for rollback of new agri laws and the Centre asserted it is ready to consider any proposal other than their repeal.

    As both sides looked for a resolution to the over one-month-long deadlock, rumours about some states being allowed to opt out of the central laws started doing the rounds, but the agitating unions said they had not received any such proposal from the government.

    Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar too answered in the negative when he was asked by reporters if there was any proposal to give state governments the freedom to implement the new laws.

    Tomar, along with Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, has been leading the government’s negotiations with 40 protesting farmer union leaders.

    The latest round of talks to be held at Vigyan Bhavan at 2PM on Friday is crucial as the previous meeting on January 4 remained inconclusive with both sides sticking to their positions.

    There was some breakthrough in the sixth round of talks on December 30 when the government conceded to two demands of the agitating farmers pertaining to power subsidy and stubble burning.

    The previous rounds of talks had failed to make any headway.

    Farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka, a senior member of the Samkyukt Kisan Morch, said that unions have not received any proposal for allowing some states to opt out and asserted that they will reject the same if it is sent to them.

    “I want to make it clear that Samkyukt Kisan Morcha has not received any proposal on allowing states to opt out of the three farm laws.

    We will not accept anything less than the repeal of three agriculture laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for our crops,” Kakka told PTI.

    “If it is true (about any such proposal), it is a divide and rule strategy by the government,” the farmer leader also said.

    The Samkyukt Kisan Morch is an umbrella body of around 40 farmer unions protesting at several Delhi border points for the last 43 days against the new agri laws.

    Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) chief Joginder Singh Ugrahan, who is also a senior member of the Morcha, denied receiving any proposal from the government.

    “We have not got anything (any new proposal) from the government,” Ugrahan told PTI.

    During an interaction through Facebook, Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav, who is actively participating in the ongoing protest against the new farm laws, accused the government of “fuelling such rumours”.

    “It is being discussed in the media that the government has sent a proposal to farmer unions. We have not received any proposal from the government’s side,” Yadav said.

    Earlier in the day, renowned religious leader Baba Lakha met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, even as the latter denied giving any proposal to the former.

    Tomar said that the government is ready to consider any proposal other than repeal of three farm laws, the key demand of the protesting farmers.

    “I cannot say “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.

    Punjab BJP leaders Surjit Kumar Jyani and Harjit Singh Grewal met Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Thursday.

    After the meeting, Jyani told reporters that the farmer unions should not be adamant on their demand for repeal of the three farm laws.

    He also alleged that Left leaders have entered into the movement and do not want the matter to be resolved.

    Grewal asserted that the government is ready for everything that is in farmers’ interest.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Farmers should have waited for next round of talks with Centre before tractor march: BJP

    Hussain said that people in Punjab and the Central government, both know the role of the state government in farmers protest.

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

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Wednesday said it would hear on January 11 a batch of pleas challenging the new farm laws as also the ones raising issues related to the ongoing farmers” protest at Delhi borders.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, which observed that there is no improvement on the ground regarding farmers” protests, was informed by the Centre that “healthy discussions” are going on between the government and farmers over these issues.

    Attorney General K K Venugopal said there is a good chance that parties may come to a conclusion in the near future and filing of response by the Centre on the pleas challenging the new farm laws might foreclose the negotiations between the farmers and government.

    Farmers protest: CJI says all petitions challenging the constitutionality of the three farm acts will be heard together on Monday @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard
    — kanupsarda (@sardakanu_TNIE) January 6, 2021

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, while informing the bench that talks are going on between the government and farmers in a “healthy atmosphere”, said that these matters should not be listed for hearing on January 8.

    “We understand the situation and encourage the consultation. We can adjourn the matters on Monday (January 11) if you submit the same due to the ongoing consultation process,” the bench said.

    The top court was hearing a plea filed by advocate M L Sharma challenging the farm laws.

    The bench issued notice to the Centre seeking its response on Sharma’s plea which has alleged that the Central government has no locus under the Constitution to frame these laws.

    During the hearing, conducted through video-conferencing, the bench said at the outset, “These are farm matters. Where are the other matters? When they are listed? We are going to hear all the matters together”.

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

    The bench asked Mehta to find out the status of other matters and as to when they are listed.

    Mehta said that no specific date was given earlier for hearing on these pleas.

    “We are keeping this plea (filed by Sharma) for hearing on Friday and we allow the amended petition to be taken on record in the meanwhile,” the bench said.

    “M L Sharma always files startling petitions and he says that the Centre has no power to make laws,” the bench observed, adding, “Mr Sharma says that you (government) are colluding and making laws.”

    The top court said it would take up the plea along with other pending matters “because we think that the condition has not improved already”.

    After Mehta said that talks are going on in “healthy atmosphere”, the bench said it would take up these matters on January 11.

    The apex court had earlier issued notice and sought the Centre’s response on a batch of pleas against the three contentious farm laws — Farmers” (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, Farmers” Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.

    While hearing the pleas on the issue of farmers’ protest, the top court had on December 17 said that the agitation should be allowed to continue “without impediment” and this court will not “interfere” with it as the right to protest is a fundamental right.

    While acknowledging the right to non-violent protest of farmers, the apex court was also of the view that their right to protest should not infringe the fundamental rights of others to move freely and in getting essential food and other supplies as right to protest cannot mean blockade of the entire city.

    In its December 17 order, the bench had said: “We clarify that this court will not interfere with the protest in question. Indeed the right to protest is part of a fundamental right and can as a matter of fact, be exercised subject to public order. There can certainly be no impediment in the exercise of such rights as long as it is non-violent and does not result in damage to the life and properties of other citizens and is in accordance with law.

    “We are of the view at this stage that the farmers” protest should be allowed to continue without impediment and without any breach of peace either by the protesters or the police”.

    ALSO WATCH:

  • SC accepts petition sent to CJI seeking inquiry against Haryana Police for using water cannons on farmers

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court accepted a letter petition sent to Chief Justice of India SA Bobde by a group of students from Punjab seeking an inquiry against Haryana Police for using water cannons, tear gases shells on farmers to stop them from proceeding to Delhi to protest against the Centre’s newly-enacted farm laws.

    The students wrote an open letter to the CJI and urged that Haryana and Delhi police withdraw all the cases against farmers which were registered under alleged political vendetta.

    The letter, written by former and current human rights students of the Centre for Human Rights and Duties, Punjab University, also asked that the cases of illegal detention of protesters be looked into.

    The letter signed by Gurmohan Preet Singh and 34 other students requested that the governments at both Central and State level ensure the safety of all protesters, and provide basic amenities for all, especially women, children and elderly. It also asked for mobile toilet vans to be provided at protest places.

    “Issue appropriate guidelines, as the court may deem fit, regarding hygienic conditions at protest sites in the backdrop of COVID-19. Take an action to curb fake news and against media channels, engaged in misrepresentation, polarisation and sensationalisation of the whole issue,” it stated.

    They sought top court’s immediate intervention to protect “gross neglect of human rights”.

    “We, being students of human rights are very much disturbed and disheartened by witnessing the execrable way in which the government of India is dealing with its own farmers, who are protesting much peacefully as per their constitutional rights,” the letter said.

    Farmers’ protest at several Delhi borders has been going on for over a month.