News Analysis India

Tag: Samyukta Kisan Morcha

  • Samyukta Kisan Morcha claims over 100 people missing since tractor parade, forms panel

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers’ unions, on Sunday claimed that over 100 people were missing since the violence during the tractor parade on Republic Day, and it has set up a six-member committee to look into the matter.

    According to a statement, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will collect data on such missing persons and the matter will be taken up with the authorities for formal action.

    Any information on missing persons can be shared on phone number 8198022033, it added.

    The tractor parade on January 26 that was to highlight the demands of the farmer unions to repeal the three new agriculture laws descended into anarchy as tens of thousands of protesters broke through barriers, fought with police, overturned vehicles and hoisted a religious flag from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort.

    Clashes broke out in multiple places, leading to violence in well-known landmarks of Delhi and its suburbs, amid waves of violence that ebbed and flowed through the Republic Day.

    The SKM condemned the arrest of journalists and others based on “false and fabricated” charges.

    It claimed that the government was afraid of the rising strength of the farmers’ movement.

    It also denounced suspension of Internet services at various protest sites on Delhi’s borders.

    “The government does not want the facts to reach the protesting farmers. It is fearful of the coordinated work of the farmers’ unions across different protest sites and is trying to cut off communication between them. This is undemocratic and illegal,” the statement read.

    The SKM also questioned the cordoning off of the protest sites “from a long distance disallowing common people and mediapersons from reaching the Singhu border”.

    “This is also to disrupt the supply of food and water,” it alleged.

    The morcha claimed that a protestor from Maharashtra, who took part in an agitation in Shahjahanpur, died on Sunday.

    “Shayra Pawara was just 21 years old and her sacrifice will be remembered,” the statement said.

    Sunday was declared as Sadbhavana Diwas and was observed across the country, the morcha said, adding faculty members and scholars of Punjab Agriculture University also observed one-day fast in support of the farmers.

  • ‘No question of closing the door on talks with government’: Samyukta Kisan Morcha

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha spearheading the agitation against the Centre’s three agri laws said on Saturday that there was no question of closing the door on talks with the government.

    The farmer union’s statement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told an all-party meeting earlier in the day that his government’s offer on agri laws made to the protesting farmers “still stands” and it was a “phone call away” for talks.

    The protesting farmer leaders observed ‘Sadbhavana Diwas’ on Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary and held a day-long fast at various protest sites on Delhi borders.

    According to a release issued by Morcha leader Darshan Pal, “Farmers have come all the way to the doorsteps of Delhi to converse with their elected government and therefore, there is no question of the farmer organisations closing the door on talks with the government.”

    ALSO READ | Farmers’ protest: Union leaders observe day-long fast on Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary

    The last meeting between representatives of protesting farmers and the Centre was held on January 22.

    The unions continue to seek repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, the Morcha statement said.

    Prime Minister Modi told the all-party meeting that his government’s offer on agri laws made to protesting farmers “still stands” and it was a “phone call away” for talks, days after the violence during farmers’ tractor rally in the national capital on Republic Day.

    The Morcha also “condemned” alleged attempts of police to “weaken and destroy” the farmers movement.

    “It is clear that the police is encouraging various attacks on peaceful protesters. The continuous violence by police and BJP goons clearly shows the palpable fear within the government,” Pal claimed in the statement.

    The one-day fast was observed at all borders of Delhi and all over India.

    The farmers took a pledge to continue their movement peacefully, the statement said.

    Reports of farmers observing farmers in various parts of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and other states were received, it said.

    In Bihar, Sadbhavana Diwas was marked with long human chains in different districts of the state including Muzaffarpur and Nalanda, it added.

    ALSO WATCH:

    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, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

    The protest took a violent turn during the farmers’ tractor rally on January 26.

    Enacted in September 2020, the central government has presented these laws as major farm reforms aimed at increasing farmers’ income, but the protesting farmers have raised concerns that these legislations would weaken the minimum support price (MSP) and “mandi” (wholesale market) systems and leave them at the mercy of big corporations.

    The government has maintained that these apprehensions are misplaced and ruled out a repeal of the laws.

  • Farmers’ union calls meeting to discuss violence during tractor parade in Delhi

    By PTI
    Samkyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of protesting unions, has called a meeting later on Wednesday to discuss the violence that broke out during the farmers’ tractor parade in the national capital.

    Before the Morcha meeting, representatives of 32 Punjab unions will also meet at the Singhu border, a major protest site against the three new farm laws.

    A senior farmer leader said, “The Samkyukta Kisan Morcha will meet around 3 pm on Wednesday and discuss all aspects pertaining to violence that happened during the tractor parade in Delhi”.

    ALSO READ | Delhi Police registers 22 FIRs in connection with violence during farmers’ tractor rally

    The Samkyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 41 farmer unions, is leading the protest against the three central farm laws at several border points of Delhi.

    After violence broke out during the tractor parade on Tuesday, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha had called off the parade and appealed to participants to immediately return to their respective protest sites.

    The tractor parade on Tuesday that was to highlight the demands of the farmer unions to repeal three new agri laws dissolved into anarchy on the streets of the city as tens of thousands of protesters broke through barriers, fought with police, overturned vehicles and hoisted a religious flag from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort The Delhi Police has registered 22 FIRs so far in connection with the violence in several area that has left over 300 policemen injured.

    The Kisan Morcha had disassociated itself from those who indulged in violence during the tractor parade, and alleged that some “antisocial elements” infiltrated their otherwise peaceful movement.

    Farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, including Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops.

  • Samyukta Kisan Morcha disassociates itself from violence during tractor parade

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Farmers’ union body Samyukta Kisan Morcha Tuesday disassociated itself from those who indulged in violence during the tractor parade, and alleged some “antisocial elements” infiltrated their otherwise peaceful movement.

    The union also condemned and regretted the “undesirable” and “unacceptable” events as the parade turned violent after several groups of farmers deviated from the pre-decided route for the march.

    The Samkyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 41 farmer unions, is leading the protest against the three central farm laws at several border points of Delhi.

    “We thank farmers for the unprecedented participation in today’s farmers’ Republic Day Parade.

    We also condemn and regret the undesirable and unacceptable events that have taken place today and dissociate ourselves from those indulging in such acts.

    “Despite all our efforts, some organisations and individuals have violated the route and indulged in condemnable acts.

    Antisocial elements had infiltrated the otherwise peaceful movement.

    We have always held that peace is our biggest strength, and that any violation would hurt the movement,” the farmers’ body said in a statement.

    Its statement comes as farmers clashed with police at several places in the national capital.

    A protesting farmer died at Delhi’s ITO after his tractor overturned.

    Police also had to use lathicharge and teargas shells to control unruly protesters at multiple locations in the city.

    “We dissociate ourselves from all such elements that have violated our discipline.

    We appeal strongly to everyone to stick to the route and norms of the parade, and not indulge in any violent action or anything that taints national symbols and dignity.

    We appeal to everyone to desist from any such acts.

    “We are trying to get a full picture of all the events with regard to the several parades that were planned today and will share a full statement soon.

    Our information is that apart from some regrettable violations, the parades are underway peacefully as per plan,” it said.

    Wielding sticks and clubs and holding the tricolour and union flags, tens of thousands of farmers atop tractors broke barriers, clashed with police and entered the city from various points to lay siege to the Red Fort and climb the flagpole on Republic Day on Tuesday.

    Farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, including Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price for their crops.

     

  • Tractor parade LIVE: Farmers return to protest sites, more paramilitary forces to be deployed in Delhi

    By Online Desk
    Even as India celebrated its 72nd Republic Day, tens of thousands of farmers atop tractors broke barriers, clashed with police, and entered the national capital to lay siege to the Red Fort and unfurled flags on Republic Day on Tuesday. 

    The national capital witnessed violent scenes as police fired tear gases and lathi charge. While one protestor lost his life, over 80 police personnel suffered injuries. 

    The Samyukta Kisan Morcha distanced itself from the violent elements and stated that their otherwise peaceful movement was disrupted by anti-socials. 

    The Delhi Police, later in the evening, said that the protesting farmers violated the conditions finalised for the tractor rally leading to extensive damage to public property.

    Neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab have stepped up vigil and issued a high alert. 

    The tractor rally comes after two whole months of relentless protests by farmers who want the central government’s contentious farm laws to be scrapped. 

  • 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)