News Analysis India

Tag: Farmers stir

  • Stop drama, get farmers’ issues resolved: AAP slams Navjot Sidhu over letter to Punjab CM

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The AAP on Monday slammed Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu over his letter to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, saying he should stop doing “drama” and get the farmers’ issues resolved at the earliest.

    Sidhu had on Sunday written to Amarinder Singh, seeking action on the farmers’ demands including cancellation of “unfair” FIRs registered against growers during their agitation.

    Dubbing Sidhu’s letter as a “news stunt”, Aam Aadmi Party legislator Harpal Singh Cheema said Congress leaders especially Sidhu are acting as if they are in the opposition.

    ALSO READ | Had Harsimrat rejected farm ordinances, farmers would have spared ‘black day’: AAP

    In a statement here, Cheema, who is also the leader of opposition in the Punjab Assembly, said Sidhu should stop playing the “letter game” on the issues related to Punjab, and the farmers’ problems and get them resolved from his party’s government.

    He said Sidhu gets publicity by writing a letter to the chief minister, but the issues of the farmers remain unresolved.

    Cheema asked the cricketer-turned-politician to stop doing “drama” and play the role of leader of the ruling party otherwise the people of Punjab would never forgive him.

    “If Navjot Singh Sidhu could not come up with any concrete promise or policy from the ruling Congress in his meeting with the farmer leaders, then what did he do there,” Cheema said.

    If AAP leaders could decide to give support after listening to the views of farmers during the meeting, why could not Sidhu do so.

    Leaders of 32 farm bodies had met all political parties except the BJP on September 10.

  • Had Harsimrat rejected farm ordinances, farmers would have spared ‘black day’: AAP

    The SAD had also said its workers would take out a protest march from Gurdwara Rakabganj to Parliament to seek the repeal of the three farm laws.

  • Navjot Sidhu writes to Punjab CM, seeks action on farmers’ demands

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday wrote to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, seeking action on farmers’ demands including cancellation of “unfair” FIRs registered against growers during their agitation.

    Asserting that Congress stood by farmers’ agitation against the farm laws at every stage, Sidhu, however, asked the state government, “we must do more” and “not let the three black laws be implemented in Punjab at any cost.”

    Sidhu wrote to the chief minister two days after meeting representatives of 32 farm bodies which had raised their demands with him.

    In a meeting with representatives of all political parties except the BJP, the farmer leaders had told them not to carry out electioneering till the Punjab polls are announced.

    In a letter to the CM, Sidhu wrote, “This is to bring to your attention and request for necessary action, upon the demands raised by 32 farmer unions at the meeting called by them.”

    Sidhu said farmer leaders demanded “the cancellation of unjust and unfair” FIRs registered against the farmer unions due to cases of violence during the agitation in the state.”

    Noting that the Congress and the state government provided support to farmers protesting against the Centre’s farm laws, Sidhu said, “Yet, some FIRs have been registered due to untoward incidences,” adding that the government could set up a mechanism to consider each case on compassionate grounds and cancel all “unfair” cases.

    Referring to farmers’ fear of demand for land records by the Centre before the crop procurement, Sidhu asked the state government to fight against the Centre’s “injustice”.

    “I personally believe it is unfair,” said Sidhu, adding that partition of land had not happened in many parts of the state for decades.

    “This is also an attack on the resilient system of procurement by MSP through Arthiyas and to push the farmers away from APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committees) mandis towards private markets where no such records are being demanded.

    Thus, I strongly feel that the Central Govt is actually creating ‘One Nation, Two Markets’ with different rules for APMC and private markets. This injustice we must fight against !,” wrote Sidhu.

    Sidhu also pointed out a hike in budget allocation for agriculture, Rs 7,181 crore of power subsidy, Rs 5,810 crore of farm debt waiver and Rs 520 crore of loan waiver for farm labour and landless farmers.

    “Noting the efficiency of Govt procurement done by the Congress Govt.

    Congress workers and leaders have stood by the farmer agitation at every stage of the protest.

    “Yet, we must do more, standing firmer on our resolution passed in Vidhan Sabha in October 2020, We should not let the three blacks be implemented in our state at any cost !,” he stated.

    Sidhu stressed on procurement of pulses and oilseeds through state corporations to increase farmers’ income.

    “We must take steps ahead from the farmer agitation’s fight against the three black laws to do more and present the vision for Punjab agriculture, to increase Punjab’s farmers’ income using every resource and power we have as a state to stand with the farmers,” he wrote.

    He said, “We must begin procurement of ‘dals’ and oilseeds through state corporations.”

    “Further, invest in diversification with giving MSP on more crops, giving storage capacity in hands of farmers and strengthening farmer’s financial capabilities through cooperatives and forward linkages to trade without dependence on corporates,” he wrote.

  • Haryana CM Khattar lashes out at Amarinder Singh over farmers’ issues

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: After accusing the Congress government in Punjab of fuelling farmers’ unrest in his state, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar listed several steps taken by the BJP ruled state for farmers, and asked what Amarinder Singh’s government has done in comparison.

    “Who is anti-farmer, @capt_amarinder ji? Punjab or Haryana?,” said Khattar after highlighting in eight of his tweets various steps taken by his dispensation for farmers’ welfare.

    “Dear @capt_amarinder ji, Haryana procures 10 crops at MSP – paddy, wheat, mustard, bajra, gram, moong, maize, ground nut, sun flower, cotton and makes the MSP payment directly into the account of the farmer. How many crops does Punjab buy from the farmer at MSP?,” Khattar asked his Punjab counterpart in one of his tweets.

    He also said that Haryana has been paying the highest MSP in the country for sugarcane to its farmers for the last seven years.

    “Why has Punjab felt the need to match Haryana only after an agitation by farmers?,” he asked referring to Singh approving a Rs 15 per quintal hike in the State Agreed Price (SAP) of all sugarcane varieties for the 2021-22 crushing season a week ago.

    Khattar on Monday had accused the Congress government in Punjab of fuelling farmers’ unrest in his state, prompting a sharp response from Singh.

    The exchange had taken place two days after farmers protesting over agri laws enacted by the Centre clashed with the Haryana Police in Karnal.

    Singh had hit back a little later, accusing the BJP, including the Haryana CM, of taking refuge in “shameful lies” over the “horrendous attacks” on protesting farmers.

    “Repeal the farm laws instead of blaming Punjab for the mess your party has put the farming sector in,” Singh had said in a statement.

    Hours later, Khattar, in series of tweets, while mentioning the welfare steps taken by his government for farmers, also said that Haryana provides an incentive of Rs 7,000 per acre to every farmer who wants to move away from paddy cultivation.

    “What is the incentive that Punjab provides to the farmer similarly?,” he asked.

    Khattar also said that Haryana pays interest at 12 per cent to the farmer in case payment is delayed beyond 72 hours from the approval.

    “Does Punjab pay interest on delayed payment? Haryana pays an incentive of Rs 5,000 per acre to the farmer who adopts direct seeding of rice technology, said Khattar, asking Singh, “What incentive does Punjab give?”

    He also mentioned that Haryana pays every farmer Rs 1,000 per acre for stubble management and provides linkages for sale of paddy straw and sought to know from Singh “What incentive does Punjab provide to the farmer?” He also said that Haryana has started micro-irrigation scheme to support farmers with 85 percent subsidy to manage precious water for irrigation.

    “What incentive does Punjab provide, and is it even concerned about the rapidly depleting water table that it will finish the farmer?,” he asked.

    Khattar said that Haryana supports farmers growing horticultural produce by instituting the “Bhawantar Bharpayee Yojana” to insulate the farmer from price variations below cost.

    “What incentive does Punjab provide to its horticulture farmers?,” asked Khattar.

  • Farmers’ protest: Samyukt Kisan Morcha calls for Bharat Bandh on September 25

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Friday called for a Bharat Bandh on September 25. The SKM said the move is aimed at further strengthening and expanding the farmers’ agitation at Delhi borders, which completed nine months.

    Addressing a press conference at Singhu border, Ashish Mittal from SKM said, “We are calling for a Bharat bandh on September 25. This is happening after a similar ‘bandh’ which was organised on the same date last year. We hope that it would be more successful than the last one as it was held during the pandemic.”

    Mittal also said that the all-India convention by the farmers was a success and saw the participation of representatives from 22 states. About 300 farm unions and members of organisations that work for the welfare of women, labourers, tribals as well as youth and students participated.

    During the convention, discussions and deliberations took place on the farmers’ struggle that has been going on for the last nine months and it focused on making their agitation against the farm laws a pan-India movement.

    “We understood how the government has been attacking the farming community with the pro-corporate laws and how by capturing the market, farmers’ produce will be bought at lower prices,” he said. Mitall further added, “The government which is on the verge of bankruptcy, is trying to recover the money from the farmers,  labourers and the common man by increasing the fuel prices and prices of cooking gas.  

  • ‘New farm laws need improvement’: Bharatiya Kisan Sangh calls for legislation on MSP

    By PTI

    NAGPUR: The RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) on Thursday said the outfit will stage a nationwide agitation on September 8 to press for ‘remunerative price’ to farmers for their produce to cover their production cost and called for “improvement” in the Centre’s new agri laws that are facing opposition from a section of cultivators.

    The farmer body said that the Central government should either bring a new legislation or make changes in the agri-marketing laws enacted last year to add a provision for payment of minimum support price (MSP) for major farm produce.

    Top BKS functionary Dinesh Kulkarni, addressing a press conference here, said that farmers should get ‘remunerative price’ for their produce to cover their cost of production, which they are not getting in the existing system.

    ALSO READ| Rajnath Singh defends farm laws but says ready for talks if any clause against farmers’ interest

    “Remunerative price is cost of production plus profit – that is what we demanding. Remunerative price is the right of farmers, which should be facilitated by the government,” said Kulkarni, the BKS’s Akhil Bharatiya Sanghatan Mantri (national organising general secretary).

    “The MSP announced by the government today is not a remunerative price. However, even if it is not doing that it should at least give the MSP it is announcing and make a law for the same,” he said. Kulkarni said the three new farm laws do not have any clause about ensuring MSP or remunerative price for agricultural commodities.

    “The government should ensure this remunerative price in the present farm laws or make a separate legislation for the same. The government should make guidelines in respect of contract farming wherein crops are not purchased below MSP. This should be at least implemented for the 23 crops that are currently under the MSP regime,” he said.

    Asked about his views on the Centre’s new agri-marketing laws, against which farmers are protesting for the last ten months, Kulkarni told PTI that they need “some improvement”.

    “For example, there should be an agriculture court (to tackle disputes). Similarly, (private) traders coming into the farm sector should be registered and should give bank security. Thirdly, there is a huge flaw in respect to (changes) in the Essential Commodities Act as far as consumers are concerned,” he said.

    The BKS leader said that the government, in order to promote business, has given huge exemption to big companies, allowing them to stock some commodities as much as they want and this needs to corrected.

    The 2020 amendment to the Essential Commodities Act, which is part of the new agri laws, removes restrictions on stocking of certain essential commodities. To a query on the BKS’s view on the ongoing farmer protest, Kulkarni said the nature of the agitation changed after January 26, when the stir took a violent turn in New Delhi.

    After that dialogue with the Centre stopped, he said. The government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock on the new laws and end the protest.

    “It (talks) would have paved the way for discussion with the system for implementing remunerative price in the right manner. However, that dialogue stopped,” Kulkarni said.

    The three farm laws enacted in September 2020 have been projected by the Modi government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell 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 MSP and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

    The Centre has repeatedly asserted that these mechanisms will remain in place.

  • Rajnath Singh defends farm laws but says ready for talks if any clause against farmers’ interest

    By PTI

    PANCHKULA (HARYANA): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday defended the Centre’s three contentious farm laws but said his government is ready to talk to farmers if they feel there is any clause in the legislations against their interests.

    Stressing that there is a need to fully understand the laws, Singh said an “atmosphere of opposition” is being created and farmers should understand this. Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi’s borders since late November in protest against the laws, demanding their withdrawal.

    Farmer groups have alleged that the laws will end the mandi and MSP procurement systems, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

    Addressing the gathering for a state-level Annapurna programme under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana through online mode on Thursday, Singh lauded the Narendra Modi government for taking steps for the welfare of farmers.

    “Our government brought three farm laws. But I think there is a need to fully understand these laws. Lekin ek virodh ka mahoul bhi paida kiya ja raha hai (But an atmosphere of opposition is being created).I feel that farmer brothers should understand this,” said Singh.

    “Confusion” over the minimum support price was also spread. Farmers have started learning the truth and they have started doing calculations of their profit and loss,” Rajnath claimed while pointing to benefits of the laws.

    “I have studied the farm legislations fully and I can say with confidence that there is no clause as per my information which is against the interest of our farmer brothers. If anybody feels there is any such clause in these laws which can affect the interest of farmers, I want to say with full confidence that we are ready to sit and hold talks with farmer brothers,” he said.

    Listing out the Modi government’s decisions taken for farmers’ welfare, he said the MSP h as been raised by one-and-half times and small farmers have been provided with cheaper loans. A sum of over Rs 1.50 lakh crore has been credited to the bank accounts of farmers, he said, adding that it had never happened in the history of the country. “All these steps were taken to empower and strengthen our farmers,” he said.

    ALSO READ| India’s national security challenges becoming complex: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

    He also talked about the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, saying Rs 6,000 directly goes into the account of farmers. “There is no possibility of corruption. The whole money reaches your accounts,” he stressed while reminding that once former PM Rajiv Gandhi had said that only 16 out of 100 paise reaches people.

    “We today send 100 paise and the whole amount reaches your accounts. There is no possibility of corruption. What will be more sensitivity towards farmers than this,” he asked. Singh said that the Centre and state governments complement each other in a cooperative federal structure.

    “The Centre may frame many plans but until it gets support from the state government, their successful implementation is not possible. Similarly, the state government may make many plans, if the Centre does not support them, their implementation also becomes difficult,” he said.

  • Farmers to celebrate Independence Day as ‘Kisan Mazdoor Azaadi Sangram Diwas’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Farmers protesting against the three contentious agriculture laws will celebrate India’s 75th Independence Day as ‘Kisan Mazdoor Azaadi Sangram Diwas’.

    Following a national call by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, farmers across the country will mark the day with ‘tiranga rallies’ at block and tehsil levels.

    However, the farmers stressed that they will not enter Delhi.

    “On August 15, Samyukt Kisan Morcha has given a call for all constituents to mark the day as Kisan Mazdoor Azaadi Sangram Diwas, with tiranga marches to be organised on that day,” said Kavitha Kuruganti of AIKSCC (All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee).

    “On that day, tractors, motorcycles, cycles, and carts will be taken out in tiranga marches by farmers and workers to block, tehsil, district headquarters or to their nearest kisan morchas or dharnas. These marches will be taken out with the national flag on the vehicles,” he added.

    The rallies will be taken out nationwide from 11 am to 1 pm, another farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said.

    At the Delhi borders too, including Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, tri-colour marches and programmes will be held throughout the day.

    “At Singhu, farmers will march for about eight kms from the main stage at the protest site till the KMP expressway, with the tricolour, and the flags of their respective farm unions on their vehicles,” farmer leader Jagmohan Singh said.

    The tricolour will also be hoisted on the farmer “jhopdis” at these protest sites, he added.

    Farmer leaders stressed that the tiranga rally on August 15 will be “peaceful” and will steer clear of Delhi.

    “Marches will be taken out across the country, but at tehsil and block levels. They will be peaceful, and we have clarified repeatedly that we have no plans of entering Delhi,” Kohar said.

    “The happenings of January 26 put a dent on our movement, so the tiranga marches on August 15 will not enter any city, but our agitation is not going to stop until our demands are met,” added Singh.

    Singh said the tiranga marches on Independence Day will reiterate the farmers’ demands of repealing the three contentious laws, and how the government has not extended its support to the farmers despite their over eight-month-long protest.

    “Through this rally we want to stress on our demands that we have been fighting for all this time. The speakers at the borders on August 15 will talk about the three laws and why they must be repealed. The rally is also to show how the government is not going on back foot and meeting the farmers’ demands,” Singh said.

    Farmers from different parts of the country have been protesting against the three laws since November last year.

    While the farmers have expressed apprehension over the laws doing away with the Minimum Support Price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations, the government has been projecting the laws as major agricultural reforms.

    Over 10 rounds of talks have failed to break the deadlock between the two parties.

  • Farmers feel harassed under BJP, its defeat certain in Uttar Pradesh polls: Akhilesh Yadav

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Saturday attacked the BJP, alleging farmers feel harassed under its rule, and said the party’s defeat is certain in the state polls next year.

    He also reiterated the SP is preparing to win 400 out of the total 403 seats in the elections.

    “There is huge anger towards the BJP, and the defeat of the BJP is certain in the Assembly elections,” he said.

    He said the BJP had promised that farmers’ income will be doubled by 2022 but it looks improbable.

    “The farmers and the people of Uttar Pradesh want to know from the BJP what the farmers’ income today is? Today, there is price rise, and the prices of fertiliser have also gone up. The promise was made to double the income of the farmers by 2022. When will this happen?” he asked.

    ALSO READ | Kisan Sansad passes ‘no-confidence’ motion against govt for not repealing farm laws

    Addressing a press conference at the party office here, he said despite BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre farmers are facing a lot of problem.

    “Farmers are not against development, but today they are agitating.

    Once the Samajwadi Party is voted to power, the farmers will get appropriate compensation for their land,” he said.

    He also said a number of schemes was made for the dairy sector and promises were made, but none fulfilled.

    On the issue of payments to sugarcane farmers, he said, “The question is not of payment, the question is that of pending dues. The voice of the farmers does not reach the chief minister.”

    The SP chief also said, “Yogi Adityanath must exercise restraint over his language. Yesterday, I was watching his interview on a news channel. We can have a fight over issues, but if you are saying anything about my father, then be prepared, I will also say something about your father. Hence, the chief minister must exercise restraint over his language.”

    On BJP chief JP Nadda addressing a meeting of the newly-elected chairpersons of zila panchayats and block panchayats on his first day of his two-day Lucknow visit, Yadav alleged the saffron party looted “democracy” in the local body polls in which they were elected.

    “Money was openly given for the post of zila panchayat chairpersons. There is no bigger sin in a democracy. District magistrates and superintendents of the police made the BJP win these elections,” he alleged.

  • Kisan Sansad passes ‘no-confidence’ motion against govt for not repealing farm laws

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Kisan Sansad being held by farmers protesting the Central farm laws moved a no-confidence motion against the government on Friday for not repealing the three contentious legislations, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said.

    The umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions said the government’s “failure” to support farmers during natural calamities, hike in fuel prices and the recent Pegasus snooping row were among the issues that were discussed during the Kisan Sansad on Friday.

    As part of their protest against farm laws, 200 farmers gather at the Jantar Mantar, close to Parliament where the Monsoon Session is underway, every day to deliberate on issues concerning the agriculture community.

    “A no-confidence motion was moved against the government.

    It was based on the fact that the farmers’ demands were not being met despite over eight months of peaceful protests by lakhs of farmers across the country in addition to several anti-farmer measures by the government.

    “The motion stressed upon the Narendra Modi government bringing in pro-corporate, anti-farmer laws and not acceding to the farmers’ demand for their repeal and for bringing in a law to guarantee remunerative MSP for all farmers, for all agricultural commodities,” the SKM said.

    Several issues concerning ordinary citizens and farmers were raised during the debate, including “unaffordable and unjustified hike in fuel prices, the collapse of an uninvested and unprepared healthcare system in the pandemic, unconscionable spying on citizens and elected leaders by the government putting our democracy in jeopardy”.

    “Kisan parliamentarians also raised numerous issues concerning their livelihoods and violation of democratic values and basic human rights.

    This debate will continue on August 9,” the SKM statement said.

    It added that the Kisan Sansad on Friday saw visits from MPs of different opposition parties, including the Congress, RJD, CPI(M), Shiv Sena, and the TMC.

    “They watched the proceedings of the Kisan Sansad in a specially arranged visitors’ gallery.

    These MPs said they are extending their full support to the protesting farmers and to their demands,” the umbrella body of farmer unions said.

    Farmers in large numbers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting against the three contentious farm laws at several Delhi borders since November last year.

    While they have expressed apprehension over the laws doing away with the minimum support price system leaving them at the mercy of big corporations, the government has been projecting the laws as major agricultural reforms.

    With over 10 rounds of talks failing to break the deadlock between the two parties, farmers have brought their protest closer to the Parliament in the form of the Kisan Sansad, hoping to get their voices heard, and demands met.