SpiritOf1903
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No irony. None at all.
-
Contact the PP Team
Indian Farmers Protests
- Thread starter MenInG
- Start date
No irony. None at all.
WhenSultansBowled
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The movement is stronger than ever.
'I Cannot Be Intimidated. I Cannot Be Bought.' The Women Leading India’s Farmers’ Protests
The message to women was clear: Go back home. Since November, hundreds of thousands of farmers had gathered at different sites on the outskirts of the Indian capital to demand the repeal of three agricultural laws that they say would destroy their livelihoods. In January, as the New Delhi winter set in, the Chief Justice of India asked lawyers to persuade elderly people and women to leave the protests. In response, women farmers—mostly from the rural states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh—scrambled onto stages, took hold of microphones and roared back a unanimous “No!”
“Something snapped within us when we heard the government tell the women to go back home,” says Jasbir Kaur, a sprightly 74-year-old farmer from Rampur in western Uttar Pradesh. It’s late February and Kaur has been camping at the Ghazipur protest site for over three months, only returning home once. She was stung by the court’s suggestion that women were mere care workers providing cooking and cleaning services at these sites—though she does do some of that work—rather than equal stakeholders. “Why should we go back? This is not just the men’s protest. We toil in the fields alongside the men. Who are we—if not farmers?”
Source: https://time.com/5942125/women-india-farmers-protests/
Extra_Cover
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I came across this Time cover as well. This protest is like a slow knife that is cutting deep.
Itachi
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This movement failed to receive support from farmers of other states excluding haryana, punjab and a few parts of UP.
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CricketCartoons
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It is a fascist protest. fascism is on the rise across the world under the guise of innocent words like students, farmers, workers.
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India has rebuked UK MPs for criticising its handling of the ongoing farmers' protests in Delhi.
Several Labour, Liberal Democrat and Scottish National Party MPs on Monday expressed concern over the safety of protesters and the status of press freedom in India.
But India's High Commission in London said the discussion in UK parliament was full of "false assertions".
Indian farmers have been protesting for months against agricultural reforms.
Thousands of them have been camped at the borders of the national capital Delhi, demanding a roll-back of laws that seek to further open up India's farming sector to private players.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party-led government insist the laws will improve farmers' incomes. But farmers say the opposite will happen since the reforms give corporate companies greater bargaining power.
The protests - which have lasted for more than 100 days - have dominated headlines and social media feeds, and the government's response has drawn international attention and even rebuke .
The government has shut down the internet around the protest sites in brief spells, arrested protesters, sympathetic activists and even journalists covering the strike.
Citing these instances, UK MPs said human rights and democratic freedoms were not being upheld in India, reports the BBC's Yogita Limaye.
"Water canons and tear gas and repeated clashes between police and farmers and interruption in internet connectivity have been matters of concern. Several farmers have reportedly committed suicide," SNP MP Martin Day said.
They demanded that UK officials address these concerns with India when Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the country in the coming months. The UK government has said they have already raised these issues and will continue to do so while respecting that the farm laws are a domestic matter.
"We deeply regret that rather than a balanced debate, false assertions - without substantiation or facts - were made, casting aspersions on the largest functioning democracy in the world and its institutions," India's High Commission said in a statement.
"When aspersions are cast on India by anyone, irrespective of their claims of friendship and love for India or domestic political compulsions, there is a need to set the record straight," it added.
Monday's debate in the UK parliament follows a recent report on global political rights and liberties that changed India's status from a free country to "partly free" . It attributed the downgrade to increased pressure on human rights groups, journalists and activists, and targeting of minorities, since 2014, when Mr Modi swept to power.
But the government's response to the protest - which has included the criminal charges against eight journalists, the controversial arrest of a 22-year-old activist and a sparring with pop star Rihanna - has sparked anger and criticism in India as well.
BBC
Several Labour, Liberal Democrat and Scottish National Party MPs on Monday expressed concern over the safety of protesters and the status of press freedom in India.
But India's High Commission in London said the discussion in UK parliament was full of "false assertions".
Indian farmers have been protesting for months against agricultural reforms.
Thousands of them have been camped at the borders of the national capital Delhi, demanding a roll-back of laws that seek to further open up India's farming sector to private players.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party-led government insist the laws will improve farmers' incomes. But farmers say the opposite will happen since the reforms give corporate companies greater bargaining power.
The protests - which have lasted for more than 100 days - have dominated headlines and social media feeds, and the government's response has drawn international attention and even rebuke .
The government has shut down the internet around the protest sites in brief spells, arrested protesters, sympathetic activists and even journalists covering the strike.
Citing these instances, UK MPs said human rights and democratic freedoms were not being upheld in India, reports the BBC's Yogita Limaye.
"Water canons and tear gas and repeated clashes between police and farmers and interruption in internet connectivity have been matters of concern. Several farmers have reportedly committed suicide," SNP MP Martin Day said.
They demanded that UK officials address these concerns with India when Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the country in the coming months. The UK government has said they have already raised these issues and will continue to do so while respecting that the farm laws are a domestic matter.
"We deeply regret that rather than a balanced debate, false assertions - without substantiation or facts - were made, casting aspersions on the largest functioning democracy in the world and its institutions," India's High Commission said in a statement.
"When aspersions are cast on India by anyone, irrespective of their claims of friendship and love for India or domestic political compulsions, there is a need to set the record straight," it added.
Monday's debate in the UK parliament follows a recent report on global political rights and liberties that changed India's status from a free country to "partly free" . It attributed the downgrade to increased pressure on human rights groups, journalists and activists, and targeting of minorities, since 2014, when Mr Modi swept to power.
But the government's response to the protest - which has included the criminal charges against eight journalists, the controversial arrest of a 22-year-old activist and a sparring with pop star Rihanna - has sparked anger and criticism in India as well.
BBC
SpiritOf1903
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They took down mobdro 
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New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing stir against the Central government's three new agriculture laws, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal has called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a bigger threat to the country than Pakistan.
"Today, we have realised that the Modi government understands only the vote-bank policy, so we need to defeat them in elections. You have the biggest weapon in your hands - it's your vote and I appeal to you, vote for anyone but Modi," the farmer leader said while addressing a 'mahapanchayat' in Kolkata.
"It is PM Modi and not Pakistan that is a bigger threat to India," he added.
Reacting sharply to his remarks, BJP leader Arjun Singh demanded action against Rajewal for his statement. "The leaders, who in order to express their freedom of speech, choose to hail Pakistan and other countries and indulge in cheap politics, should be punished in accordance with the laws," he said.
Meanwhile, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait announced that they will hold a rally in Nandigram where there's an intense battle between CM Mamata Banerjee and TMC turncoat and BJP leader Suvendhu Adhikari.
"We're going to Nandigram to tell people that crops are not being purchased at MSP. We'll appeal to them not to vote for BJP as they've robbed the entire country," he said.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at various Delhi borders since November 26 last year demanding the repeal of the farm laws.
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/...s-people-in-bengal-from-voting-for-bjp/732060
"Today, we have realised that the Modi government understands only the vote-bank policy, so we need to defeat them in elections. You have the biggest weapon in your hands - it's your vote and I appeal to you, vote for anyone but Modi," the farmer leader said while addressing a 'mahapanchayat' in Kolkata.
"It is PM Modi and not Pakistan that is a bigger threat to India," he added.
Reacting sharply to his remarks, BJP leader Arjun Singh demanded action against Rajewal for his statement. "The leaders, who in order to express their freedom of speech, choose to hail Pakistan and other countries and indulge in cheap politics, should be punished in accordance with the laws," he said.
Meanwhile, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait announced that they will hold a rally in Nandigram where there's an intense battle between CM Mamata Banerjee and TMC turncoat and BJP leader Suvendhu Adhikari.
"We're going to Nandigram to tell people that crops are not being purchased at MSP. We'll appeal to them not to vote for BJP as they've robbed the entire country," he said.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at various Delhi borders since November 26 last year demanding the repeal of the farm laws.
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/...s-people-in-bengal-from-voting-for-bjp/732060
Romali_rotti
Senior ODI Player
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Balbir Singh Rajewal is right, vote for Congress that were responsible for the slaughter of 1000s of Sikhs in the 80s..
Have started following Indian news and India's hierarchies are interesting to watch.
The lowest in the pecking order are the Dalits- a husband in U.P is alleging that his pregnant wife was killed by higher caste folks and it is such a tragedy but this and other anti- Dalit violence is barely a footnote in Indian news.
Then it is the Muslims- reading about the genocide against Muslims in Delhi-they were the victims of the violence yet the complicit, completely communal Delhi Police has jailed so many innocent Muslims.The Muslims on twitter and on ground try and fight but the system is completely biased against them.
Then it is us, the Sikhs who thought we were aloof from this but 300 farmers dead, our elderly beaten after being wrongly jailed, our religion and us mocked and reviled - all this has definitely been eye-opening for a lot of Sikhs.
And finally, it is the Hindu Jaats who hitched their wagon to BJP, the quintessential Brahmin-baniya party maybe hoping for caste ascendency and now are fearful of losing their lands.It will be interesting to see which way the Hindu jaats in Haryana and U.P go.
I am writing about North India - other parts of India may have differing hierarchies.
The lowest in the pecking order are the Dalits- a husband in U.P is alleging that his pregnant wife was killed by higher caste folks and it is such a tragedy but this and other anti- Dalit violence is barely a footnote in Indian news.
Then it is the Muslims- reading about the genocide against Muslims in Delhi-they were the victims of the violence yet the complicit, completely communal Delhi Police has jailed so many innocent Muslims.The Muslims on twitter and on ground try and fight but the system is completely biased against them.
Then it is us, the Sikhs who thought we were aloof from this but 300 farmers dead, our elderly beaten after being wrongly jailed, our religion and us mocked and reviled - all this has definitely been eye-opening for a lot of Sikhs.
And finally, it is the Hindu Jaats who hitched their wagon to BJP, the quintessential Brahmin-baniya party maybe hoping for caste ascendency and now are fearful of losing their lands.It will be interesting to see which way the Hindu jaats in Haryana and U.P go.
I am writing about North India - other parts of India may have differing hierarchies.
King-Misbah
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Is there alienation amongst some Sikh and a realisation that they should have asked for a homeland in 1947? Just want to understand ground realities.
Itachi
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All that you wrote was, Haryana and UP. That's even only a share of North India. What happened to the rest?
As far as I know, there is hatred against Modi and BJP but not against India.
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Dozens of farmers squatted on railway tracks in northern India on Friday, disrupting traffic to mark four months of a campaign against the opening up of agriculture produce markets to private players.
Tens of thousands of farmers have been camped on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi since last year, saying new farm laws enacted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government will leave them at the mercy of big corporations.
Farm unions called for a 12-hour nationwide shutdown to keep up the pressure on the Modi government which says the reforms will help farmers realise better prices for their produce and bring investment.
“Four months ago, this day, farmers came to the borders of Delhi with their demands. But this government isn’t listening to the farmers,” said union leader Gurinder Singh Pannu
“This protest will continue,” he added.
Across the northern states of Haryana and Punjab, protesters blocked railway tracks at 32 locations, leading to the cancellation of at least four passenger trains.
“Around 30 trains are held up,” Deepak Kumar, an Indian railways spokesman, told Reuters.
Freight movement had also been affected, with around 20 goods trains currently stalled, Kumar said.
At a major protest camp in Delhi’s Ghazipur, protesters blocked a highway connecting the capital city with neighbouring Uttar Pradesh state.
Police also erected additional barricades, topped by concertina wire, and hundreds of personnel had been deployed.
Of around a thousand protesters at the site, some danced and sang on Friday. “Take back the black laws,” they chanted in Hindi.
Several rounds of talks between the government and the farm leaders have failed and there are no new meetings planned for now.
Tens of thousands of farmers have been camped on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi since last year, saying new farm laws enacted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government will leave them at the mercy of big corporations.
Farm unions called for a 12-hour nationwide shutdown to keep up the pressure on the Modi government which says the reforms will help farmers realise better prices for their produce and bring investment.
“Four months ago, this day, farmers came to the borders of Delhi with their demands. But this government isn’t listening to the farmers,” said union leader Gurinder Singh Pannu
“This protest will continue,” he added.
Across the northern states of Haryana and Punjab, protesters blocked railway tracks at 32 locations, leading to the cancellation of at least four passenger trains.
“Around 30 trains are held up,” Deepak Kumar, an Indian railways spokesman, told Reuters.
Freight movement had also been affected, with around 20 goods trains currently stalled, Kumar said.
At a major protest camp in Delhi’s Ghazipur, protesters blocked a highway connecting the capital city with neighbouring Uttar Pradesh state.
Police also erected additional barricades, topped by concertina wire, and hundreds of personnel had been deployed.
Of around a thousand protesters at the site, some danced and sang on Friday. “Take back the black laws,” they chanted in Hindi.
Several rounds of talks between the government and the farm leaders have failed and there are no new meetings planned for now.
sweep_shot
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OMB
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Not even fear of COVID-19 can disrupt protest, say agitating farmers
The alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi notwithstanding, farmer leaders on Thursday said that nothing, not even the fear of coronavirus, can disrupt their protest against the agri laws.
Over the past four months, the farmers have managed to keep their agitation going, withstanding extreme cold, rains, and heat.
They devised many ways to deal with these issues – for cold there was ample supply of winter wear, for rain they elevated their beds, and to prepare for the heat, they have started building houses, and arranging for ACs, coolers and fans.
Tackling the second wave of COVID-19 won’t be very different for them, they said, adding they are prepared with certain basic precautions in place.
“We have been making announcements from the stage at the Singhu border about the necessity of wearing masks, and washing hands frequently. We are also encouraging the protestors to get vaccinated,” said Lakhbir Singh, vice president (Punjab) of All India Kisan Sabha.
With multiple health camps at these protest sites, immediate medical assistance is always at the farmers’ disposal in case a protestor develops symptoms like fever or breathlessness.
“If somebody has fever or cold, or any other COVID-like symptoms, then the doctors here take a call. The patient is either admitted to a hospital, or sent back to their village for 8-10 days,” said Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda).
On Friday, India registered a record single-day spike of 1,31,968 new COVID-19 cases. Delhi too, recorded 7,437 fresh cases in its highest single-day spike this year, with the capital’s death roll reaching 11,157 on Thursday.
According to Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav, farmers do treat the pandemic with a “certain indifference”, but also pointed out that none of the protest sites were COVID-19 hotspots either, making it difficult to challenge the farmers’ attitude.
“If you would notice, each of these places has doctors, clinics. They are not doing COVID testing, but if many people are reporting fever and so on, they would get to know because qualified doctors are there in every single morcha.
“Some of them have proper hospitals. If there was a surge in fever and breathlessness that would have been noticed immediately,” he said.
He added that while the habit of wearing masks and washing hands was being cultivated among the farmers, “distancing has not worked”, which, he added, was true for most places in the country.
“Farmers are just like any ordinary Indian citizen they are just about as careful as other citizens are, or about as careless, as most Indian citizens are,” Yadav said.
One of the major threats that seems to loom over the farmers movement with the rising number of COVID-19 cases, is the repeat of what happened to the Shaheen Bagh protest last year – they were forced to end the agitation fearing the spread of the disease.
This year, Yadav said, however, the situation was different.
“That time, there was a sense of doom, a sense of ‘you don’t know what would happen’ with corona. It was just the beginning we didn’t know anything at that point.
“Now, that unspecified sense of doom is not there, and therefore, while at that time the government could use that as a pretext to get the protestors to move away, using that now would be utterly cynical,” he said.
He added that if the government uses the coronavirus as an excuse to remove the protesting farmers, it would only expose their “hypocrisy” with the election campaigning underway in West Bengal.
“In that case they should ban election campaigning in Bengal. The first thing they should do is to ban BJP’s own rallies, where the home minister is addressing the crowds. The hypocrisy of that would obviously be seen,” Yadav said.
Thousands of farmers from different parts of the country have been protesting against the three farm laws since the last week of November, 2020. While the government has been projecting these laws as major agricultural reforms, farmers have expressed apprehension that the move would lead to the elimination of the Minimum Support Price system, and leave them at the mercy of big corporates.
Ask Paramjit Singh if the farmers are afraid of contracting the disease that has already claimed over 1.6 lakh lives in the country, and he said, “what choice do we have?”
“Our lives are already on the line. We were afraid of the biting cold, and are afraid of the heat that awaits us, so yes we are afraid of the disease but there is no other option.
“We are taking precautions at individual levels by wearing masks and avoiding shaking hands with people, but the movement has to and will continue,” the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) Punjab general secretary said.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/not-even-fear-of-covid-19-can-disrupt-protest-say-agitating-farmers-7266602/
The alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi notwithstanding, farmer leaders on Thursday said that nothing, not even the fear of coronavirus, can disrupt their protest against the agri laws.
Over the past four months, the farmers have managed to keep their agitation going, withstanding extreme cold, rains, and heat.
They devised many ways to deal with these issues – for cold there was ample supply of winter wear, for rain they elevated their beds, and to prepare for the heat, they have started building houses, and arranging for ACs, coolers and fans.
Tackling the second wave of COVID-19 won’t be very different for them, they said, adding they are prepared with certain basic precautions in place.
“We have been making announcements from the stage at the Singhu border about the necessity of wearing masks, and washing hands frequently. We are also encouraging the protestors to get vaccinated,” said Lakhbir Singh, vice president (Punjab) of All India Kisan Sabha.
With multiple health camps at these protest sites, immediate medical assistance is always at the farmers’ disposal in case a protestor develops symptoms like fever or breathlessness.
“If somebody has fever or cold, or any other COVID-like symptoms, then the doctors here take a call. The patient is either admitted to a hospital, or sent back to their village for 8-10 days,” said Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda).
On Friday, India registered a record single-day spike of 1,31,968 new COVID-19 cases. Delhi too, recorded 7,437 fresh cases in its highest single-day spike this year, with the capital’s death roll reaching 11,157 on Thursday.
According to Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav, farmers do treat the pandemic with a “certain indifference”, but also pointed out that none of the protest sites were COVID-19 hotspots either, making it difficult to challenge the farmers’ attitude.
“If you would notice, each of these places has doctors, clinics. They are not doing COVID testing, but if many people are reporting fever and so on, they would get to know because qualified doctors are there in every single morcha.
“Some of them have proper hospitals. If there was a surge in fever and breathlessness that would have been noticed immediately,” he said.
He added that while the habit of wearing masks and washing hands was being cultivated among the farmers, “distancing has not worked”, which, he added, was true for most places in the country.
“Farmers are just like any ordinary Indian citizen they are just about as careful as other citizens are, or about as careless, as most Indian citizens are,” Yadav said.
One of the major threats that seems to loom over the farmers movement with the rising number of COVID-19 cases, is the repeat of what happened to the Shaheen Bagh protest last year – they were forced to end the agitation fearing the spread of the disease.
This year, Yadav said, however, the situation was different.
“That time, there was a sense of doom, a sense of ‘you don’t know what would happen’ with corona. It was just the beginning we didn’t know anything at that point.
“Now, that unspecified sense of doom is not there, and therefore, while at that time the government could use that as a pretext to get the protestors to move away, using that now would be utterly cynical,” he said.
He added that if the government uses the coronavirus as an excuse to remove the protesting farmers, it would only expose their “hypocrisy” with the election campaigning underway in West Bengal.
“In that case they should ban election campaigning in Bengal. The first thing they should do is to ban BJP’s own rallies, where the home minister is addressing the crowds. The hypocrisy of that would obviously be seen,” Yadav said.
Thousands of farmers from different parts of the country have been protesting against the three farm laws since the last week of November, 2020. While the government has been projecting these laws as major agricultural reforms, farmers have expressed apprehension that the move would lead to the elimination of the Minimum Support Price system, and leave them at the mercy of big corporates.
Ask Paramjit Singh if the farmers are afraid of contracting the disease that has already claimed over 1.6 lakh lives in the country, and he said, “what choice do we have?”
“Our lives are already on the line. We were afraid of the biting cold, and are afraid of the heat that awaits us, so yes we are afraid of the disease but there is no other option.
“We are taking precautions at individual levels by wearing masks and avoiding shaking hands with people, but the movement has to and will continue,” the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) Punjab general secretary said.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/not-even-fear-of-covid-19-can-disrupt-protest-say-agitating-farmers-7266602/
OMB
First Class Captain
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- Dec 27, 2010
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- 4,288
Farm leaders to move to Uttar Pradesh after lockdown to dent BJP’s 2022 poll prospects: Chaduni
Senior BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni, who was in Chandigarh Wednesday, told The Indian Express that the leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), have already discussed the plans to campaign in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Assembly polls due in 2022.
Farmer leaders believe that their campaign against BJP in West Bengal during the Assembly polls “played a significant role in building an environment against the saffron party over the issue of three farm laws”.
Encouraged with the results of West Bengal polls and some ‘setback’ to the ruling BJP in UP panchayat polls, farmer leaders have announced that they would move to Uttar Pradesh to start campaigning against the saffron party soon after the withdrawal of the lockdown.
Senior BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni, who was in Chandigarh Wednesday, told The Indian Express that the leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), have already discussed the plans to campaign in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Assembly polls due in 2022.
“We have plans to move across UP soon after withdrawal of the lockdown,” said Chaduni, who was in the City Beautiful to boost the morale of supporters, who are building an environment in favour of the agitators for the past several months while standing at the roundabouts.
Farmer leaders believe that their campaign against BJP in West Bengal during the Assembly polls “played a significant role in building an environment against the saffron party over the issue of three farm laws”.
They also say that it will be an advantage for them to campaign in Uttar Pradesh as there won’t be any issues of language and distance here while these were big challenges before the farmer leaders in communicating their sentiments to the voters particularly farmers in Bengal.
“We already have personal connections in UP apart from geographical closeness,” says Chaduni. The farmer leader insists that the dominance of their agitation is not limited to Western UP only but “it has an impact across the state”.
In their fight against three farm laws, which they term as “anti-farmer”, the farmer leaders want to hit the BJP “politically” too to get the contentious laws repealed. Like Bengal, they may not campaign for any political party in UP too but may urge the farmers for “vote ki chot” (hurt with votes) against the saffron party. Earlier, the agitators had even tried to put pressure on the legislators in Haryana ahead of the no-confidence motion against the BJP-JJP government few months back. However, the Khattar government managed to win the trust vote with a thumping majority with the help of its ally JJP and independent legislators.
The agitating farmer leaders have been insisting that they are fighting for their survival adding “the corporates may grab their land after implementation of three farm laws”.
The ruling BJP has been terming the allegations baseless while insisting the laws are “pro-farmers”. Calling Chaduni as “an arhtiya and supporter of arhtiyas (commission agents at mandis), Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister JP Dalal also says that the Opposition parties, mainly Congress and communist parties, are backing the farmer agitation while insisting the BJP had emerged as a formidable organisation in Bengal now.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/farm-leaders-to-move-to-uttar-pradesh-after-lockdown-to-dent-bjps-2022-poll-prospects-chaduni-7313388/
Senior BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni, who was in Chandigarh Wednesday, told The Indian Express that the leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), have already discussed the plans to campaign in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Assembly polls due in 2022.
Farmer leaders believe that their campaign against BJP in West Bengal during the Assembly polls “played a significant role in building an environment against the saffron party over the issue of three farm laws”.
Encouraged with the results of West Bengal polls and some ‘setback’ to the ruling BJP in UP panchayat polls, farmer leaders have announced that they would move to Uttar Pradesh to start campaigning against the saffron party soon after the withdrawal of the lockdown.
Senior BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni, who was in Chandigarh Wednesday, told The Indian Express that the leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), have already discussed the plans to campaign in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Assembly polls due in 2022.
“We have plans to move across UP soon after withdrawal of the lockdown,” said Chaduni, who was in the City Beautiful to boost the morale of supporters, who are building an environment in favour of the agitators for the past several months while standing at the roundabouts.
Farmer leaders believe that their campaign against BJP in West Bengal during the Assembly polls “played a significant role in building an environment against the saffron party over the issue of three farm laws”.
They also say that it will be an advantage for them to campaign in Uttar Pradesh as there won’t be any issues of language and distance here while these were big challenges before the farmer leaders in communicating their sentiments to the voters particularly farmers in Bengal.
“We already have personal connections in UP apart from geographical closeness,” says Chaduni. The farmer leader insists that the dominance of their agitation is not limited to Western UP only but “it has an impact across the state”.
In their fight against three farm laws, which they term as “anti-farmer”, the farmer leaders want to hit the BJP “politically” too to get the contentious laws repealed. Like Bengal, they may not campaign for any political party in UP too but may urge the farmers for “vote ki chot” (hurt with votes) against the saffron party. Earlier, the agitators had even tried to put pressure on the legislators in Haryana ahead of the no-confidence motion against the BJP-JJP government few months back. However, the Khattar government managed to win the trust vote with a thumping majority with the help of its ally JJP and independent legislators.
The agitating farmer leaders have been insisting that they are fighting for their survival adding “the corporates may grab their land after implementation of three farm laws”.
The ruling BJP has been terming the allegations baseless while insisting the laws are “pro-farmers”. Calling Chaduni as “an arhtiya and supporter of arhtiyas (commission agents at mandis), Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister JP Dalal also says that the Opposition parties, mainly Congress and communist parties, are backing the farmer agitation while insisting the BJP had emerged as a formidable organisation in Bengal now.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/farm-leaders-to-move-to-uttar-pradesh-after-lockdown-to-dent-bjps-2022-poll-prospects-chaduni-7313388/
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- Mar 19, 2015
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Hisar: Farmers clash with police after protesting at event attended by CM Khattar; allege lathicharge
Chandigarh: A major confrontation took place between the farmers and police in Haryana's Hisar after the farmers protested an event that was attended by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. While the farmers are alleging that the police resorted to lathicharge, the cops claim that the farmers turned to violence at the protests and started pelting stones.
CM Khattar had come to Hisar to inaugurate a hospital there. As soon as the farmers came to know about the CM's visit, thousands of them came there on tractors and trollies in large numbers to try to gherao the chief ministers. The police were trying to stop the farmers as they broke through barricades.
The farmers claimed that if the chief minister thinks that they might further spread the coronavirus, why is he calling 500 people for the inauguration of the hospital.
CM Khattar has also urged the agitating farmers to return back to their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic saying farmers can go on agitation once the situation gets normal.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij has today extended the lockdown in the state till May 24. The Haryana government has termed the lockdown as "Mahamari Alert/Surkshit Haryana (Epidemic Alert/Safe Haryana)".
Making the announcement on Twitter, said, "Mahamari Alert / Surkshit Haryana extended from 17 May to 24 May. Stringent measures will be taken to implement the alert (lockdown)."
Last Sunday, Vij had extended the lockdown from May 10 till May 17. Haryana has been facing a surge in Covid-19 infections as well as deaths for the last few weeks, though the state has registered a slight fall during the past few days.
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/...ended-by-cm-khattar-allege-lathicharge/757673
Chandigarh: A major confrontation took place between the farmers and police in Haryana's Hisar after the farmers protested an event that was attended by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. While the farmers are alleging that the police resorted to lathicharge, the cops claim that the farmers turned to violence at the protests and started pelting stones.
CM Khattar had come to Hisar to inaugurate a hospital there. As soon as the farmers came to know about the CM's visit, thousands of them came there on tractors and trollies in large numbers to try to gherao the chief ministers. The police were trying to stop the farmers as they broke through barricades.
The farmers claimed that if the chief minister thinks that they might further spread the coronavirus, why is he calling 500 people for the inauguration of the hospital.
CM Khattar has also urged the agitating farmers to return back to their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic saying farmers can go on agitation once the situation gets normal.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij has today extended the lockdown in the state till May 24. The Haryana government has termed the lockdown as "Mahamari Alert/Surkshit Haryana (Epidemic Alert/Safe Haryana)".
Making the announcement on Twitter, said, "Mahamari Alert / Surkshit Haryana extended from 17 May to 24 May. Stringent measures will be taken to implement the alert (lockdown)."
Last Sunday, Vij had extended the lockdown from May 10 till May 17. Haryana has been facing a surge in Covid-19 infections as well as deaths for the last few weeks, though the state has registered a slight fall during the past few days.
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/...ended-by-cm-khattar-allege-lathicharge/757673
OMB
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Six months on, farmers in Punjab, Haryana hold black flag protest
Opposition parties, including the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party, have extended support to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s call of observing the day as a black day
Farmers in Punjab and Haryana put up black flags on their houses on Wednesday, joining a black day call given by protesting farmer unions to mark six months of their agitation at Delhi borders against the Centre’s three farm laws.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party, have extended support to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s call of observing the day as a black day. The morcha is an umbrella body of protesting unions.
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal raised a black flag at his house in Badal village in Muktsar district and urged the Centre to accept the demand of protesting farmers. INLD general secretary Abhay Singh Chautala followed suit at his Teja Khera farmhouse in neighbouring Sirsa district in Haryana.
Former Haryana chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda had on Tuesday urged the Centre to restart the dialogue with protesting farmers.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/six-months-on-farmers-in-punjab-haryana-hold-black-flag-protest-101622022253362.html
Opposition parties, including the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party, have extended support to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s call of observing the day as a black day
Farmers in Punjab and Haryana put up black flags on their houses on Wednesday, joining a black day call given by protesting farmer unions to mark six months of their agitation at Delhi borders against the Centre’s three farm laws.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party, have extended support to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s call of observing the day as a black day. The morcha is an umbrella body of protesting unions.
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal raised a black flag at his house in Badal village in Muktsar district and urged the Centre to accept the demand of protesting farmers. INLD general secretary Abhay Singh Chautala followed suit at his Teja Khera farmhouse in neighbouring Sirsa district in Haryana.
Former Haryana chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda had on Tuesday urged the Centre to restart the dialogue with protesting farmers.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/six-months-on-farmers-in-punjab-haryana-hold-black-flag-protest-101622022253362.html
OMB
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Tikait says farm laws will be gone by 2024, vows to fight till then
The ruling National Democratic Alliance’s current term ends in 2024, when it will face the next Lok Sabha election. The farm leader said the government will agree to scrap the laws
Rakesh Tikait, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, a key farm organisation behind the ongoing farmers’ agitation, celebrated his birthday on Friday with a vow to not rest until the three agricultural laws at the heart of protests were scrapped, but predicted the legislation would be gone by 2024.
“(The) government will definitely agree to (scrap the laws). The laws will be withdrawn by 2024. It’s certain. In three years, the laws will go,” he said.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance’s current term ends in 2024, when it will face the next Lok Sabha election.
Asked what made him so confident since the government has said it was willing to suspend the laws for 18 months, not repeal them, Tikait said: “Why will they not withdraw it? What do you mean by ‘no, it looks impossible’ (withdrawal of the laws)?”
The farm leader, however, did not clearly state the reasons behind his assertion. Asked if he had any word with the government on rescinding the laws, he said: “No, we have talked to the public. The public will decide and the laws will go. The government will have to withdraw them.”
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/farm-laws-will-be-gone-by-2024-vow-to-fight-till-then-saystikait-101622800516820.html
The ruling National Democratic Alliance’s current term ends in 2024, when it will face the next Lok Sabha election. The farm leader said the government will agree to scrap the laws
Rakesh Tikait, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, a key farm organisation behind the ongoing farmers’ agitation, celebrated his birthday on Friday with a vow to not rest until the three agricultural laws at the heart of protests were scrapped, but predicted the legislation would be gone by 2024.
“(The) government will definitely agree to (scrap the laws). The laws will be withdrawn by 2024. It’s certain. In three years, the laws will go,” he said.
The ruling National Democratic Alliance’s current term ends in 2024, when it will face the next Lok Sabha election.
Asked what made him so confident since the government has said it was willing to suspend the laws for 18 months, not repeal them, Tikait said: “Why will they not withdraw it? What do you mean by ‘no, it looks impossible’ (withdrawal of the laws)?”
The farm leader, however, did not clearly state the reasons behind his assertion. Asked if he had any word with the government on rescinding the laws, he said: “No, we have talked to the public. The public will decide and the laws will go. The government will have to withdraw them.”
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/farm-laws-will-be-gone-by-2024-vow-to-fight-till-then-saystikait-101622800516820.html
OMB
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BJP workers, farm law protestors clash in Ghazipur
As the two sides came near each other on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway around 12 pm, a scuffle broke out and they fought with sticks which led to some injuries, they said.
A scuffle broke out between several BJP workers and farm law protestors at Ghazipur (File)
BJP workers and farm law protesters clashed in Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border on Wednesday.
The ruckus took place when the BJP workers were carrying out a procession on a flyway where the farm law protesters, chiefly supporters of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, have been camping since November 2020, according to eye-witnesses.
As the two sides came near each other on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway around 12 pm, a scuffle broke out and they fought with sticks which led to some injuries, they said.
Videos and pictures surfaced on social media, purportedly showing some damaged vehicles which were part of a cavalcade of a BJP politician, Amit Valmiki, for whose welcome the procession was being held.
Read |Govt staffer terminated on ‘vague allegation’ of joining farm protest, HC issues notice to Haryana
Farmer leaders, however, alleged that the episode was another “conspiracy by the government” to quell the protest against the three contentious farm laws and give it a bad name.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha spokesperson Jagtar Singh Bajwa claimed that the farmers at the Ghazipur border informed the district administration and government officials to remove the party workers as they were creating a ruckus in the name of a welcome rally.
“They misbehaved with farmers and themselves damaged their vehicles as part of a conspiracy. This conspiracy of the government is not going to succeed because such tactics to end the farmers’ protest have been used in the past too,” Bajwa said.
“We are going to lodge a complaint with the police over today’s (Wednesday’s) incident, and if no action is taken, we shall plan our future strategy accordingly,” he added.
“We condemn the ruckus created by the BJP workers,” Bajwa said, adding that such tactics won’t work as the farmers’ movement has been going on peacefully for the last seven months and will continue to do so in the future.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/scuffle-between-bjp-workers-farm-law-protestors-at-ghazipur-7382666/
As the two sides came near each other on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway around 12 pm, a scuffle broke out and they fought with sticks which led to some injuries, they said.
A scuffle broke out between several BJP workers and farm law protestors at Ghazipur (File)
BJP workers and farm law protesters clashed in Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border on Wednesday.
The ruckus took place when the BJP workers were carrying out a procession on a flyway where the farm law protesters, chiefly supporters of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, have been camping since November 2020, according to eye-witnesses.
As the two sides came near each other on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway around 12 pm, a scuffle broke out and they fought with sticks which led to some injuries, they said.
Videos and pictures surfaced on social media, purportedly showing some damaged vehicles which were part of a cavalcade of a BJP politician, Amit Valmiki, for whose welcome the procession was being held.
Read |Govt staffer terminated on ‘vague allegation’ of joining farm protest, HC issues notice to Haryana
Farmer leaders, however, alleged that the episode was another “conspiracy by the government” to quell the protest against the three contentious farm laws and give it a bad name.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha spokesperson Jagtar Singh Bajwa claimed that the farmers at the Ghazipur border informed the district administration and government officials to remove the party workers as they were creating a ruckus in the name of a welcome rally.
“They misbehaved with farmers and themselves damaged their vehicles as part of a conspiracy. This conspiracy of the government is not going to succeed because such tactics to end the farmers’ protest have been used in the past too,” Bajwa said.
“We are going to lodge a complaint with the police over today’s (Wednesday’s) incident, and if no action is taken, we shall plan our future strategy accordingly,” he added.
“We condemn the ruckus created by the BJP workers,” Bajwa said, adding that such tactics won’t work as the farmers’ movement has been going on peacefully for the last seven months and will continue to do so in the future.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/scuffle-between-bjp-workers-farm-law-protestors-at-ghazipur-7382666/
King_Kohli
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Sharad Pawar takes U-Turn on Farm Laws; Says No Need to Revoke them, Just Some Ammendments Will Suffice.
King_Kohli
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Uttar Pradesh: BJP Wins Panchayat President Elections From Muzaffarnagar which is the hometown of so called Farmer's protest leader Rakesh Tikait.
Lonewarrior
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India farmers' protests: Tens of thousands join rally in Uttar Pradesh
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58455866
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58455866
https://www.livemint.com/news/india...-ahead-of-farmers-protest-11630974226435.html
Haryana govt suspends mobile internet in five districts ahead of farmers' protest today
Haryana govt suspends mobile internet in five districts ahead of farmers' protest today
OMB
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Bharat Bandh News LIVE Updates: Rakesh Tikait thanks farmers, labourers for making Bharat Bandh a success
Bharat Bandh Today Latest Updates: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions, has called for a 'Bharat Bandh' on Monday to mark one year of the passage of the Centre's three farm laws. The call for the bandh have been supported by major opposition parties including the Congress, BSP, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party, Left parties and Swaraj India. The SKM on Sunday appealed for complete peace during the Bandh and urged all Indians to join the strike. Farmer unions along with their supporters, including trade unions, have made detailed plans to ensure that life remains suspended across the country, except for emergency services on Monday.
The call for the bandh has been given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farm unions, spearheading the farmers' agitation against three central agri laws, which were enacted in September last year.
Rakesh Tikait thanks farmers, labourers for making Bharat Bandh a success
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said Monday's Bharat Bandh a slap on the face of people who said the protests were limited to three states. He said the movement will continue till the three agricultural laws are withdrawn and the government guarantees minimum support price (MSP).
"The Bharat Bandh called by Samyukta Kisan Morcha was a success. Farmers across the country expressed their anger by coming on the streets. More than thousands of farmers sat on the streets across the country. The bandh got the support of farmers as well as labour, traders, employees, trade unions. Political parties of the country also supported for the bandh," Tikait said.
"There was no incident of violent clashes anywhere, for which the farmers of the country also express their gratitude to the labourers and citizens," he added.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bharat-bandh-news-india-live-updates-farmer-protest-agri-laws-samyukta-kisan-morcha-delhi-traffic-affected-police-congress-aap-bsp-bjp-1857565-2021-09-27
Bharat Bandh Today Latest Updates: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions, has called for a 'Bharat Bandh' on Monday to mark one year of the passage of the Centre's three farm laws. The call for the bandh have been supported by major opposition parties including the Congress, BSP, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party, Left parties and Swaraj India. The SKM on Sunday appealed for complete peace during the Bandh and urged all Indians to join the strike. Farmer unions along with their supporters, including trade unions, have made detailed plans to ensure that life remains suspended across the country, except for emergency services on Monday.
The call for the bandh has been given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of over 40 farm unions, spearheading the farmers' agitation against three central agri laws, which were enacted in September last year.
Rakesh Tikait thanks farmers, labourers for making Bharat Bandh a success
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said Monday's Bharat Bandh a slap on the face of people who said the protests were limited to three states. He said the movement will continue till the three agricultural laws are withdrawn and the government guarantees minimum support price (MSP).
"The Bharat Bandh called by Samyukta Kisan Morcha was a success. Farmers across the country expressed their anger by coming on the streets. More than thousands of farmers sat on the streets across the country. The bandh got the support of farmers as well as labour, traders, employees, trade unions. Political parties of the country also supported for the bandh," Tikait said.
"There was no incident of violent clashes anywhere, for which the farmers of the country also express their gratitude to the labourers and citizens," he added.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bharat-bandh-news-india-live-updates-farmer-protest-agri-laws-samyukta-kisan-morcha-delhi-traffic-affected-police-congress-aap-bsp-bjp-1857565-2021-09-27
Local.Dada
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Good you put the disclaimer “as far as I know” that’s clearly not a benchmark.
Now coming to your point, only in Pakistan that just because someone belongs to a religion or community every one falls under the same umbrella.
I am sure there are Sikhs having a Khalistani mindset. That’s a minor subsect of a larger group. Now among that group some like Modi, some
Dont ,some are in BJP and RSS too, some in Army etc etc etc no different from Hindus, Christians etc. you will be surprised that there are some Muslim communities that are pro Modi especially the Gujarati Muslim business community. They may not love him but it’s a mutually beneficial relationship.
You read a newspaper and read some crime news and are making derivations of of that?
I read CNN today, headlines are a girl who was murdered allegedly by her boyfriend, some black kids were discriminated in school, some illegal immigrants were abused and taken advantage of. Now what is your view about America?
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KingKhanWC
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Must be really dull times that Pakistanis are now reduced to taking pleasure from farmer protests in India. Real fall from the optimism of ghazwa-e-hind, khalistan etc.
Its better if you keep your eyes on the farmers, mostly Sikhs who are not happy with Hindutva extermist government.
Thanks for offering Pakistanis a great insight into this . POTW.
OMB
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Some rumours of Capt. Amarinder Singh about to join BJP going around
What impact does this have on the farmers movement now which at one time had support of Capt. Amarinder?
What impact does this have on the farmers movement now which at one time had support of Capt. Amarinder?
pillionrider
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after all that drama and arrogance .... bypoll election losses sees Modiji running for coverpillionrider
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Specially for Pappu fans
Remember the name .....)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mark my words, the Govt will have to take back the anti-farm laws. <a href="https://t.co/zLVUijF8xN">pic.twitter.com/zLVUijF8xN</a></p>— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1349696177927667714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Remember the name .....
)<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mark my words, the Govt will have to take back the anti-farm laws. <a href="https://t.co/zLVUijF8xN">pic.twitter.com/zLVUijF8xN</a></p>— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1349696177927667714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Sad day. Big mistake. Apart from this being fundmentally wrong, this will feed amd encourage the 370, NRO, CAA protestors.
Modi showed weakness in face of elections. He doesnt realize that this is a net negative for him - he is not going to win back anyone from left will end up losing his right voters.
Modi showed weakness in face of elections. He doesnt realize that this is a net negative for him - he is not going to win back anyone from left will end up losing his right voters.
OldWarHorse
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Inevitable.
The GOI was always on the back foot with regards to how it would impact elections
The GOI was always on the back foot with regards to how it would impact elections
This also shows the bigot could be tamed only if you're resilient enough to tame him.
Had we, the ordinary Indians, did remotely similar to what our farmers did, the bigot won't have succeeded in his nefarious scheme of turning black money of big business houses into white in the name of demonetization!
Had we, the ordinary Indians, did remotely similar to what our farmers did, the bigot won't have succeeded in his nefarious scheme of turning black money of big business houses into white in the name of demonetization!
lol, what a big dramebaaz this guy is!
street cricketer
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This is surprising. Never really thought they'd do this, given the hardline right wing stance to every issue from the BJP.
Are any elections upcoming in Punjab?
Are any elections upcoming in Punjab?
What a happy joyous day and thanks to the sacrifices of the ordinary farmers who were brutalised by the inhuman Modi government.
They must be really scared of losing elections in U.P and I for one hope they still do - all the dishonesty and barbarity they have exhibited against the farmers should not go unpunished .
They must be really scared of losing elections in U.P and I for one hope they still do - all the dishonesty and barbarity they have exhibited against the farmers should not go unpunished .
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GHAZIABAD, India, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday he would repeal three agriculture laws that farmers have been protesting against for more than a year, a significant climb-down for the combative leader as important elections loom.
The legislation, introduced in September last year, was aimed at deregulating the sector, allowing farmers to sell produce to buyers beyond government-regulated wholesale markets, where growers are assured of a minimum price.
Farmers, fearing the reform would cut the prices they get for their crops, staged nationwide protests that drew in activists and celebrities from India and beyond, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and pop singer Rihanna.
"Today I have come to tell you, the whole country, that we have decided to withdraw all three agricultural laws," Modi said in an address to the nation.
"I urge farmers to return to their homes, their farms and their families, and I also request them to start afresh."
The government would repeal the laws in the new session of parliament, starting this month, he said.
The surprise concession on laws the government had said were essential to tackle chronic wastage and inefficiencies, comes ahead of elections early next year in Uttar Pradesh (UP), India's most populous state, and two other northern states with large rural populations.
Nevertheless, Modi's capitulation leaves unresolved a complex system of farm subsidies and price supports that critics say the government cannot afford.
It could also raise questions for investors about how economic reforms risk being undermined by political pressures.
Protesting farmers, who have been camped out in their thousands by main roads around the capital, New Delhi, celebrated Modi's back-track.
"Despite a lot of difficulties, we have been here for nearly a year and today our sacrifice finally paid off," said Ranjit Kumar, a 36-year-old farmer at Ghazipur, a major protest site in Uttar Pradesh.
Jubilant farmers handed out sweets in celebration and chanted "hail the farmer" and "long live farmers' movement".
Rakesh Tikait, a farmers' group leader, said the protests were not being called off.
"We will wait for parliament to repeal the laws," he said on Twitter.
Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government said last year that there was no question of repealing the laws. It attempted to break the impasse by offering to dilute the legislation but protracted negotiations failed.
The protests took a violent turn on Jan. 26, India's Republic Day, when thousands of farmers overwhelmed police and stormed the historic Red Fort in New Delhi after tearing down barricades and driving tractors through roadblocks.
One protester was killed and scores of farmers and policemen were injured.
Small farmers say the changes make them vulnerable to competition from big business and they could eventually lose price support for staples such as wheat and rice.
The government says reform of the sector, which accounts for about 15% of the $2.7 trillion economy, means new opportunities and better prices for farmers.
Modi announced the scrapping of the laws in a speech marking the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Many of the protesting farmers are Sikh.
Modi acknowledged that the government had failed to win the argument with small farmers.
The farmers are also demanding minimum support prices for all of their crops, not just for rice and wheat.
"We need to know the government's stand on our other key demand," Darshan Pal, another farmers' leader, said of the new demand, which has gained traction among farmers across the country, not just in the northern grain belt.
Rahul Gandhi of the main opposition Congress party, said the "arrogant" government had been forced to concede.
"Whether it was fear of losing UP or finally facing up to conscience BJP govt rolls back farm laws. Just the beginning of many more victories for people’s voices," Mahua Moitra, a lawmaker from the Trinamool Congress Party and one of Modi's staunchest critics, said on Twitter.
But some food experts said Modi's back-track was unfortunate because the reforms would have brought new technology and investment.
"It's a blow to India's agriculture," said Sandip Das, a New Delhi-based researcher and agricultural policy analyst.
"The laws would have helped attract a lot of investment in agricultural and food processing - two sectors that need a lot of money for modernisation."
The legislation, introduced in September last year, was aimed at deregulating the sector, allowing farmers to sell produce to buyers beyond government-regulated wholesale markets, where growers are assured of a minimum price.
Farmers, fearing the reform would cut the prices they get for their crops, staged nationwide protests that drew in activists and celebrities from India and beyond, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and pop singer Rihanna.
"Today I have come to tell you, the whole country, that we have decided to withdraw all three agricultural laws," Modi said in an address to the nation.
"I urge farmers to return to their homes, their farms and their families, and I also request them to start afresh."
The government would repeal the laws in the new session of parliament, starting this month, he said.
The surprise concession on laws the government had said were essential to tackle chronic wastage and inefficiencies, comes ahead of elections early next year in Uttar Pradesh (UP), India's most populous state, and two other northern states with large rural populations.
Nevertheless, Modi's capitulation leaves unresolved a complex system of farm subsidies and price supports that critics say the government cannot afford.
It could also raise questions for investors about how economic reforms risk being undermined by political pressures.
Protesting farmers, who have been camped out in their thousands by main roads around the capital, New Delhi, celebrated Modi's back-track.
"Despite a lot of difficulties, we have been here for nearly a year and today our sacrifice finally paid off," said Ranjit Kumar, a 36-year-old farmer at Ghazipur, a major protest site in Uttar Pradesh.
Jubilant farmers handed out sweets in celebration and chanted "hail the farmer" and "long live farmers' movement".
Rakesh Tikait, a farmers' group leader, said the protests were not being called off.
"We will wait for parliament to repeal the laws," he said on Twitter.
Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government said last year that there was no question of repealing the laws. It attempted to break the impasse by offering to dilute the legislation but protracted negotiations failed.
The protests took a violent turn on Jan. 26, India's Republic Day, when thousands of farmers overwhelmed police and stormed the historic Red Fort in New Delhi after tearing down barricades and driving tractors through roadblocks.
One protester was killed and scores of farmers and policemen were injured.
Small farmers say the changes make them vulnerable to competition from big business and they could eventually lose price support for staples such as wheat and rice.
The government says reform of the sector, which accounts for about 15% of the $2.7 trillion economy, means new opportunities and better prices for farmers.
Modi announced the scrapping of the laws in a speech marking the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Many of the protesting farmers are Sikh.
Modi acknowledged that the government had failed to win the argument with small farmers.
The farmers are also demanding minimum support prices for all of their crops, not just for rice and wheat.
"We need to know the government's stand on our other key demand," Darshan Pal, another farmers' leader, said of the new demand, which has gained traction among farmers across the country, not just in the northern grain belt.
Rahul Gandhi of the main opposition Congress party, said the "arrogant" government had been forced to concede.
"Whether it was fear of losing UP or finally facing up to conscience BJP govt rolls back farm laws. Just the beginning of many more victories for people’s voices," Mahua Moitra, a lawmaker from the Trinamool Congress Party and one of Modi's staunchest critics, said on Twitter.
But some food experts said Modi's back-track was unfortunate because the reforms would have brought new technology and investment.
"It's a blow to India's agriculture," said Sandip Das, a New Delhi-based researcher and agricultural policy analyst.
"The laws would have helped attract a lot of investment in agricultural and food processing - two sectors that need a lot of money for modernisation."
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Mega U turn by Modi and Co.
Congratulations.
Now sanghi ministers are asking farmers to express gratitude towards feku for repealing these laws.
Means whatever happens, feku should always get credit even if he was the one who was chief instigator behind this.
Romali_rotti
Senior ODI Player
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- Feb 10, 2005
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- 21,755
Nahh, majority of the Indian population hate the trouble making Kashmiris, 370 situation will remain as it is now..
PM Modi and BJP felt the UP elections will be a big factor hence the U-Turn, I believe Capt Arimnder would have advised PM Modi and Amit Shah also. A Tactical retreat, keep Arminder happy while gaining good will in Punjab and if they can win UP they would be in a win win situation.
Think about it, this same farmer laws which BJP wanted to bring in was in Congress's manifesto also LOL, Congress just played the card by stoking the Farmers, but Puppu and Ammayi Sonya is still not going win the Indian election still
..However PM Modi's hardman image takes a hit...
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- Post of the Week
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Wow this is a massive turn around and the idea of Modi as a strongman takes a hit.
However, I am quite appreciative of how he backed down knowing things wouldn't go his way. Many in SC politics woulf have kept going to save face.
Modi has to lick his wounds but has shown that he cares about the long term.
However, I am quite appreciative of how he backed down knowing things wouldn't go his way. Many in SC politics woulf have kept going to save face.
Modi has to lick his wounds but has shown that he cares about the long term.
Poor decision by Modi...should never have repealed the firm laws which were very progressive. Any educated person who has read the laws would understand that. The protests were never meant for farmers anyway. Infact, Rakesh Tikait saying he will continue with the protest even after the laws got repealed today. It only shows all these protests were staged drama for greater political ambitions.
Today's decision has Captain Amrinder Singh written all over it. With Punjab election coming and with Captain Singh forming a new party which will be ally of BJP, this step is taken.
With this move, BJP has achieved 2 goals:
1) BJP will never win in Punjab on its own but has paved the way for its ally to gain some attraction in Punjab polls
2) Paid Andolanjeevis like Rakesh Tikait, Yogendra Yadav and co. are jobless from today. They wont be able to protest against BJP anymore on this issue bocz if they continue to do so it will be clear that these protests were never meant for farmers but for their own political aspirations. Andolanjeevis need to find a new cause now to go after Modi.
Is this a good move to repeal firm laws? - No
Is this good for Indian farmers (genuine ones)? - No
Is this a good move for BJP? - Yes
#MasterStroke
Today's decision has Captain Amrinder Singh written all over it. With Punjab election coming and with Captain Singh forming a new party which will be ally of BJP, this step is taken.
With this move, BJP has achieved 2 goals:
1) BJP will never win in Punjab on its own but has paved the way for its ally to gain some attraction in Punjab polls
2) Paid Andolanjeevis like Rakesh Tikait, Yogendra Yadav and co. are jobless from today. They wont be able to protest against BJP anymore on this issue bocz if they continue to do so it will be clear that these protests were never meant for farmers but for their own political aspirations. Andolanjeevis need to find a new cause now to go after Modi.
Is this a good move to repeal firm laws? - No
Is this good for Indian farmers (genuine ones)? - No
Is this a good move for BJP? - Yes
#MasterStroke
What he only cares about is his electoral and personal fortunes, nothing else matters to him. No wonder, he has had an uninterrupted stint of 20 years as head of the govts. People (with far better credentials in his party) around him have come and went into oblivion but he is a constant for last 2 decades.
Why? Because he has created this absolutely fake image of go getter in the minds of gullible Indians. In political machinations and trickeries, he is second to none. In communally dividing electorate is his USP and no one in entire universe can beat him in this game.
This move is only aimed at winning UP assembly elections where farmers have very significant presence as a vote bank. I doubt it'll help him much in Punjab assembly elections though. His devotees have already maligned Punjab farmers way too much by calling them khalistanis!
Romali_rotti
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Agreed with your post.
Right after Capt Arminder Singh's meeting with Amit Shah and PM Modi there were strong indications that the law would be repealed.
BJP now have an entry into Punjab, I honestly cannot believe how Congress goes from one disaster to another...
I am pretty sure now that Congress has looked over things they have hit the panic button with sirens in their heads sounding; uh Oh Uh Oh uh OH lol...
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Just for his fake ego, so many farmers (over 600) have been killed over last 1 year, so many highways have been blocked which I think wasn't the right thing for the farmers to have done.
This creature is so destructive in whatever he does that it beggars belief that he still has crores of hardcore devotees for whom he always comes first, nation may go to hell!
This creature is so destructive in whatever he does that it beggars belief that he still has crores of hardcore devotees for whom he always comes first, nation may go to hell!
Even with Firm laws, BJP was always poised to win big in UP. All opinion polls so far has predicted clear majority for BJP. Infact, if Yogi wins big in UP again (which is expected), he will be PM candidate for 2024 election.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...istant-second-survey/articleshow/87747004.cms
So repealing firm laws wont help BJP in UP. This is all about Captain Amrinder Singh's party for Punjab election.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...istant-second-survey/articleshow/87747004.cms
So repealing firm laws wont help BJP in UP. This is all about Captain Amrinder Singh's party for Punjab election.
Romali_rotti
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vh7KZacuEVo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Captain all high praises for PM Modi, this could be the beginning of the end for Congress in Punjab...
Captain all high praises for PM Modi, this could be the beginning of the end for Congress in Punjab...
Romali_rotti
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Yogi being a PM Candidate is concerning imo...
Agreed. He is too right winger for me and I am personally not very fond of him. But looks like BJP is heading in that direction.
If anyone can replace a statesman like Modi ji, it should be Nitin Gadkari.
Bhaag Viru Bhaag
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I saw some of them doing bhangra today. Now I know the reason. 
WhenSultansBowled
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The poor farmers were accused, insulted and beaten...
Indian media's dogs barked a lot of crap. They accused farmers of Khalistanis / ISI agents.
I am so happy for the farmers, a very important win over corrupt capitalist giants.
They earned it.
Indian media's dogs barked a lot of crap. They accused farmers of Khalistanis / ISI agents.
I am so happy for the farmers, a very important win over corrupt capitalist giants.
They earned it.
WhenSultansBowled
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Kangana Ranaut reacts to farm laws repeal: ‘Dictatorship is the only resolution’
https://www.hindustantimes.com/ente...p-is-the-only-resolution-101637297902357.html
This woman has gone completely crazy.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/ente...p-is-the-only-resolution-101637297902357.html
This woman has gone completely crazy.
JaDed
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India will always miss the bus, once again pathetic, again years of poverty and will be forced to take this decision down the years.
JaDed
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Inspite of such huge mandate he couldn’t pass one good bill , absolutely useless!
Pakpak
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Farm laws: Sikhs being targeted by fake social media profiles
A network of fake social media profiles of people claiming to be Sikhs, and promoting divisive narratives, has been exposed.
A new report shared exclusively with the BBC ahead of its publication on Wednesday identified 80 accounts in the network, which have now been suspended because they were fake.
The influence operation used accounts across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to promote Hindu nationalism and pro-Indian government narratives.
The aim of the network appears to have been to "alter perceptions on important issues around Sikh independence, human rights and values", according to the report's author, Benjamin Strick.
There is no evidence linking this network directly with the Indian government, which has yet to respond to a BBC request for comment.
'Sock puppets'
The network used so-called "sock puppet" accounts, which are fake ones controlled by real people posing as independent individuals, rather than automated "bots".
The fake profiles used Sikh names and claimed to be "Real Sikhs". They used the hashtags #RealSikh to endorse, and #FakeSikh to discredit, different political viewpoints.
The report, from non-profit organisation the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), found many of the accounts in the network used the same fake profiles across several platforms. These accounts shared the same names, profile pictures and cover photos, and published identical posts.
Many of the accounts used profile pictures of celebrities, including actresses in the Punjabi film industry.
A composite of images of twitter accounts with "fake" stamped on them, next to the same images from the Twitter profile pictures used on other websites.
IMAGE SOURCE,BENJAMIN STRICK / CIR
Image caption,
The fake accounts used pictures of celebrities and gave them Sikh names
Using a celebrity profile picture does not in itself prove an account is fake. However, the report says that combined with the co-ordinated messaging, frequently used hashtags, similar biography descriptions and follower patterns, the pictures added to the evidence that each of these accounts was not genuine.
The BBC attempted to contact eight of the celebrities whose images had been used, requesting comment. One replied via their management to confirm they were not aware their image had been used in this way, and said they would take action.
The management of another celebrity said there are thousands of such fake accounts associated with their client, and there wasn't much they could do about it.
Political motives
On Friday, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of three controversial farm laws after a year of farmers protesting against them.
The farmers' protests, which started a year ago this week, and the decades-old Khalistan independence movement were the two discussion topics most frequently targeted by the network. According to the report, the accounts sought to label any notion of Sikh independence as extremist, and delegitimise the farmers' protests, claiming they had been hijacked by "Khalistani terrorists".
Farm laws: India PM Narendra Modi repeals controversial reforms
The dead professor and the vast pro-India disinformation campaign
But before that, the Indian government had also claimed that the farmers' protest had been "infiltrated by the Khalistanis".
The farmers who continue to protest believe this may have been a deliberate political move.
"We believe these accounts were set up at the behest of the government and it was done to set a narrative against the protests" said Jagjit Singh Dalewal, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, one of about 30 unions sitting in protest.
Some accounts painted diaspora communities in the UK and Canada as harbouring the Khalistani movement.
The accounts had thousands of followers, and posts from the network have been liked and retweeted by real influencers and quoted on news sites.
A tweet showing pictures of Sikhs in London and Toronto saying "Welcome to Khalistan" in yellow text
IMAGE SOURCE,TWITTER
Image caption,
This Tweet from a fake account in the network received nearly 17,000 likes
Impact and influence
Many influence operations fail to get real people to interact with the fake accounts they create. In the case of this network though, the research identified posts which were interacted with and endorsed by the verified accounts of public figures.
The report also identified content from the fake profiles embedded on news blogs and commentary sites.
Experts on influence operations describe this as "amplification", and the more the network receives, the more impact it can have.
The BBC contacted some of the verified accounts which had interacted with posts in the network.
Rouble Nagi, who on Twitter describes herself as a humanitarian and social worker, had responded to one of the fake accounts' tweets with two clapping hands emojis. She said she is "sad that it was a fake account".
Col Rohit Dev, who calls himself a geopolitical military analyst, had responded to one of these accounts' posts with thumbs-up emojis, but told us he did not know the person behind the handle.
Nikhil Pahwa, a digital rights activist and editor of technology policy website MediaNama, says that these influence networks target individuals with a particular point of view.
"These 80-odd accounts will not necessarily make something trend, but with consistent posting, they try to discredit a point of view," he said.
"This seems to be a sophisticated approach, and seems to be a part of a larger operation."
Graph showing the names of different accounts arranged in a spiral connected by red lines
IMAGE SOURCE,BENJAMIN STRICK / CIR
Image caption,
This graph shows how the Twitter accounts in the network interacted with each other - the bigger the circle, the more interactions
Very little of the content included text in Punjabi - the biggest language for Sikhs in India - and nearly all the content was in English.
Mr Pahwa points out that there was political activity around the farmer's protests from all sides, with people trying to support and discredit them.
"It's all a part of the game to win the political narrative war."
Vast pro-Indian 'propaganda' network exposed
How a fake network pushes pro-China propaganda
The dead professor and the vast pro-India network
The BBC shared the report with Twitter and Meta - the company which owns Facebook and Instagram - requesting comment.
Twitter suspended the accounts for violating their rules prohibiting "platform manipulation" and fake accounts.
A Twitter spokesperson said: "At this time, there's no evidence of widespread co-ordination, the use of multiple accounts by single people, or other platform manipulation tactics."
Meta also removed the accounts on Facebook and Instagram for violating its "inauthentic behaviour" policies.
A Meta spokesperson said the accounts "misled people about the origin and popularity of their content and used fake accounts to spam people and evade our enforcement".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-59338245
A network of fake social media profiles of people claiming to be Sikhs, and promoting divisive narratives, has been exposed.
A new report shared exclusively with the BBC ahead of its publication on Wednesday identified 80 accounts in the network, which have now been suspended because they were fake.
The influence operation used accounts across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to promote Hindu nationalism and pro-Indian government narratives.
The aim of the network appears to have been to "alter perceptions on important issues around Sikh independence, human rights and values", according to the report's author, Benjamin Strick.
There is no evidence linking this network directly with the Indian government, which has yet to respond to a BBC request for comment.
'Sock puppets'
The network used so-called "sock puppet" accounts, which are fake ones controlled by real people posing as independent individuals, rather than automated "bots".
The fake profiles used Sikh names and claimed to be "Real Sikhs". They used the hashtags #RealSikh to endorse, and #FakeSikh to discredit, different political viewpoints.
The report, from non-profit organisation the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), found many of the accounts in the network used the same fake profiles across several platforms. These accounts shared the same names, profile pictures and cover photos, and published identical posts.
Many of the accounts used profile pictures of celebrities, including actresses in the Punjabi film industry.
A composite of images of twitter accounts with "fake" stamped on them, next to the same images from the Twitter profile pictures used on other websites.
IMAGE SOURCE,BENJAMIN STRICK / CIR
Image caption,
The fake accounts used pictures of celebrities and gave them Sikh names
Using a celebrity profile picture does not in itself prove an account is fake. However, the report says that combined with the co-ordinated messaging, frequently used hashtags, similar biography descriptions and follower patterns, the pictures added to the evidence that each of these accounts was not genuine.
The BBC attempted to contact eight of the celebrities whose images had been used, requesting comment. One replied via their management to confirm they were not aware their image had been used in this way, and said they would take action.
The management of another celebrity said there are thousands of such fake accounts associated with their client, and there wasn't much they could do about it.
Political motives
On Friday, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of three controversial farm laws after a year of farmers protesting against them.
The farmers' protests, which started a year ago this week, and the decades-old Khalistan independence movement were the two discussion topics most frequently targeted by the network. According to the report, the accounts sought to label any notion of Sikh independence as extremist, and delegitimise the farmers' protests, claiming they had been hijacked by "Khalistani terrorists".
Farm laws: India PM Narendra Modi repeals controversial reforms
The dead professor and the vast pro-India disinformation campaign
But before that, the Indian government had also claimed that the farmers' protest had been "infiltrated by the Khalistanis".
The farmers who continue to protest believe this may have been a deliberate political move.
"We believe these accounts were set up at the behest of the government and it was done to set a narrative against the protests" said Jagjit Singh Dalewal, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, one of about 30 unions sitting in protest.
Some accounts painted diaspora communities in the UK and Canada as harbouring the Khalistani movement.
The accounts had thousands of followers, and posts from the network have been liked and retweeted by real influencers and quoted on news sites.
A tweet showing pictures of Sikhs in London and Toronto saying "Welcome to Khalistan" in yellow text
IMAGE SOURCE,TWITTER
Image caption,
This Tweet from a fake account in the network received nearly 17,000 likes
Impact and influence
Many influence operations fail to get real people to interact with the fake accounts they create. In the case of this network though, the research identified posts which were interacted with and endorsed by the verified accounts of public figures.
The report also identified content from the fake profiles embedded on news blogs and commentary sites.
Experts on influence operations describe this as "amplification", and the more the network receives, the more impact it can have.
The BBC contacted some of the verified accounts which had interacted with posts in the network.
Rouble Nagi, who on Twitter describes herself as a humanitarian and social worker, had responded to one of the fake accounts' tweets with two clapping hands emojis. She said she is "sad that it was a fake account".
Col Rohit Dev, who calls himself a geopolitical military analyst, had responded to one of these accounts' posts with thumbs-up emojis, but told us he did not know the person behind the handle.
Nikhil Pahwa, a digital rights activist and editor of technology policy website MediaNama, says that these influence networks target individuals with a particular point of view.
"These 80-odd accounts will not necessarily make something trend, but with consistent posting, they try to discredit a point of view," he said.
"This seems to be a sophisticated approach, and seems to be a part of a larger operation."
Graph showing the names of different accounts arranged in a spiral connected by red lines
IMAGE SOURCE,BENJAMIN STRICK / CIR
Image caption,
This graph shows how the Twitter accounts in the network interacted with each other - the bigger the circle, the more interactions
Very little of the content included text in Punjabi - the biggest language for Sikhs in India - and nearly all the content was in English.
Mr Pahwa points out that there was political activity around the farmer's protests from all sides, with people trying to support and discredit them.
"It's all a part of the game to win the political narrative war."
Vast pro-Indian 'propaganda' network exposed
How a fake network pushes pro-China propaganda
The dead professor and the vast pro-India network
The BBC shared the report with Twitter and Meta - the company which owns Facebook and Instagram - requesting comment.
Twitter suspended the accounts for violating their rules prohibiting "platform manipulation" and fake accounts.
A Twitter spokesperson said: "At this time, there's no evidence of widespread co-ordination, the use of multiple accounts by single people, or other platform manipulation tactics."
Meta also removed the accounts on Facebook and Instagram for violating its "inauthentic behaviour" policies.
A Meta spokesperson said the accounts "misled people about the origin and popularity of their content and used fake accounts to spam people and evade our enforcement".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-59338245
Tera Gawaandi
First Class Player
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India is fast becoming a land of propaganda.
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- Oct 2, 2004
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- 217,977
Two days before it is to table a bill in Parliament to scrap the farm laws, the government issued a note on 'Objects and Reasons' for its U-turn over laws that triggered a nearly 15-month protest by tens of thousands of farmers, led to severe criticism of the ruling BJP, and made headlines globally.
The note, released to members of Parliament, blames a group of farmers for standing in the way of "the endeavour to improve the condition of farmers, including small and marginal...", and says the government "tried hard to sensitise farmers on the importance of the farm laws".
"Even though only a group of farmers are protesting against these laws, the government has tried to hard to sensitise farmers on the importance of the farm laws and explain the merits through several meetings and other forums," the note, signed by Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar, said.
It said the laws were "to enable farmers to sell produce at higher prices and benefit from technological improvements... (and get) access to markets to help increase income...".
The laws, the note said, could have allowed farmers "freedom to sell produce to any buyer at any place of their choice..." and enabled them to engage directly with retailers and bulk buyers (by skipping middlemen at mandis), as well as benefit from "a legal framework for farming contracts".
"For years, this demand was constantly made by farmers, agricultural experts, agricultural economists, and farmer organisations...," Mr Tomar wrote in the note.
Protesting farmers have welcomed the scrapping of the laws but continue to demand a law for MSP (File)
Sections of the note - specifically the bit about "a small group of farmers" - echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement from last week, when he announced the scrapping of the laws.
"Only a section of them (the farmers) was opposing the laws, but we kept trying to educate and inform them," the Prime Minister had said, expressing his "regret" at not convincing them.
The recall was forced by anger against the BJP - something it can ill-afford with multiple elections due next year, including in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, where farmers' votes are key.
The 'farm laws' refers to a set of three bills passed by Parliament last year amid unprecedented ruckus and chaos, and slammed as "black" laws by protesting farmers and the opposition.
Since then, it has faced unrelenting protests from farmers who argue the push to contract farming will leave them at the mercy of bulk buyers and corporate firms, who could use their financial might to bully them into accepting lower prices.
Protesting farmers also voiced concern over the potential elimination of MSP - the guaranteed price at which the government buys crops like rice and wheat. MSPs are vital safety nets, particularly for small and marginal farmers, against exigencies like drought that could otherwise cost them dearly.
Although the farm laws (in their current format) are to be scrapped, the government has offered no specific reassurance on MSPs, beyond what was said during discussions last year - that it will give a non-binding written guarantee.
Farmers protesting these laws were scheduled to march to Parliament on Monday, but have now deferred that move. They appear to be waiting and watching to see how far the government will go towards meeting their demands, including the key MSP bit.
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/far...repeal-note-2627247#pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll
The note, released to members of Parliament, blames a group of farmers for standing in the way of "the endeavour to improve the condition of farmers, including small and marginal...", and says the government "tried hard to sensitise farmers on the importance of the farm laws".
"Even though only a group of farmers are protesting against these laws, the government has tried to hard to sensitise farmers on the importance of the farm laws and explain the merits through several meetings and other forums," the note, signed by Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar, said.
It said the laws were "to enable farmers to sell produce at higher prices and benefit from technological improvements... (and get) access to markets to help increase income...".
The laws, the note said, could have allowed farmers "freedom to sell produce to any buyer at any place of their choice..." and enabled them to engage directly with retailers and bulk buyers (by skipping middlemen at mandis), as well as benefit from "a legal framework for farming contracts".
"For years, this demand was constantly made by farmers, agricultural experts, agricultural economists, and farmer organisations...," Mr Tomar wrote in the note.
Protesting farmers have welcomed the scrapping of the laws but continue to demand a law for MSP (File)
Sections of the note - specifically the bit about "a small group of farmers" - echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement from last week, when he announced the scrapping of the laws.
"Only a section of them (the farmers) was opposing the laws, but we kept trying to educate and inform them," the Prime Minister had said, expressing his "regret" at not convincing them.
The recall was forced by anger against the BJP - something it can ill-afford with multiple elections due next year, including in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, where farmers' votes are key.
The 'farm laws' refers to a set of three bills passed by Parliament last year amid unprecedented ruckus and chaos, and slammed as "black" laws by protesting farmers and the opposition.
Since then, it has faced unrelenting protests from farmers who argue the push to contract farming will leave them at the mercy of bulk buyers and corporate firms, who could use their financial might to bully them into accepting lower prices.
Protesting farmers also voiced concern over the potential elimination of MSP - the guaranteed price at which the government buys crops like rice and wheat. MSPs are vital safety nets, particularly for small and marginal farmers, against exigencies like drought that could otherwise cost them dearly.
Although the farm laws (in their current format) are to be scrapped, the government has offered no specific reassurance on MSPs, beyond what was said during discussions last year - that it will give a non-binding written guarantee.
Farmers protesting these laws were scheduled to march to Parliament on Monday, but have now deferred that move. They appear to be waiting and watching to see how far the government will go towards meeting their demands, including the key MSP bit.
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/far...repeal-note-2627247#pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll
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- Oct 2, 2004
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- 217,977
NEW DELHI:
India's protesting farmers have received a revised proposal from the government addressing some of their pending demands such as a new law to secure government prices for crops beyond rice and wheat, farm union leaders said on Wednesday.
Tens of thousands of farmers have staged their long-running protests to persuade Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repeal three agriculture laws from late 2020. Last month, Modi made a surprise u-turn, saying he would roll them back.
Despite Modi's climbdown, farmers have continued to press the government to meet other demands such as Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all produce.
"We've received a revised proposal from the government. We've accepted the proposal, and a consensus has emerged," Samyukta Kisan Morcha, or United Farmers' Front, a coalition of farmers unions, said in a statement.
Farm union leaders will meet again on Thursday to take a call on calling off the protest, the statement said.
India's protesting farmers have received a revised proposal from the government addressing some of their pending demands such as a new law to secure government prices for crops beyond rice and wheat, farm union leaders said on Wednesday.
Tens of thousands of farmers have staged their long-running protests to persuade Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repeal three agriculture laws from late 2020. Last month, Modi made a surprise u-turn, saying he would roll them back.
Despite Modi's climbdown, farmers have continued to press the government to meet other demands such as Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all produce.
"We've received a revised proposal from the government. We've accepted the proposal, and a consensus has emerged," Samyukta Kisan Morcha, or United Farmers' Front, a coalition of farmers unions, said in a statement.
Farm union leaders will meet again on Thursday to take a call on calling off the protest, the statement said.
transparent opacity
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- 940
Indian farmers end yearlong protests and return home
Tens of thousands of jubilant Indian farmers on Saturday cleared protest sites on the capital’s outskirts and began returning home, marking an end to their year-long demonstrations against agricultural reforms that were repealed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in a rare retreat.
Farmers dismantled their makeshift accommodations at multiple protest sites and started to vacate long stretches of highways ringing New Delhi where they have camped since November last year. Hundreds of them waved green and white flags and danced to celebrate their victory as they rode tractors, jeeps and cars.
“Farmers have saved the democracy. It was a fight for justice,” said farmer Nagendra Singh.
After a year of insisting that the new measures would benefit farmers, Modi made a surprise announcement to withdraw them last month. A bill to repeal the laws was officially passed in Parliament on Nov. 30. But the farmers did not immediately vacate the protest sites and said they would continue to demonstrate until the government agreed to other demands, including guaranteed prices for key crops and the withdrawal of criminal cases against protesters.
On Thursday, the government set up a committee to consider those demands.
Modi’s government had insisted that the laws were necessary reforms to modernize Indian farming and would lead to a deregulated market with more private-sector control of agriculture.
The farmers said the laws would drastically shrink their incomes and leave them at the mercy of big corporations. In protest, they pressed for the complete repeal of the laws.
They also demanded the government guarantee prices for certain essential crops such as wheat and rice. Currently, an overwhelming majority of farmers sell only to government-sanctioned marketplaces at fixed prices.
Farmers form one of India’s most influential voting blocs and Modi’s decision to scrap the laws came ahead of elections early next year in key states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, both significant agricultural producers and where his Bharatiya Janata Party is eager to shore up its support.
Political analysts say the upcoming elections are a major reason behind the surprise move, but that it’s too early to say whether it will work.
“Modi apologised to farmers but only after resorting to dictatorship. We were called terrorists. He bowed to protests because of the upcoming elections,” said Jaigran, another farmer who uses just one name.
Initially, Modi’s government had tried to discredit the protestors — mostly Sikh farmers — by dismissing their concerns as motivated by religious nationalism. Some leaders in Modi’s party called them “Khalistanis,” a reference to a movement for an independent Sikh homeland in India.
Such allegations backfired, further angering the farmers and their supporters.
The protests drew international support and were the biggest challenge Modi’s government faced since coming to power in 2014.
They were largely peaceful but violence erupted on Jan. 26 when thousands of farmers briefly took over New Delhi’s historic Red Fort in a deeply symbolic move. At least one farmer died and a number of protesters and police were injured.
Farmers’ leaders say more than 500 protesters have died due to suicide, cold weather and COVID-19 since November last year and they insist the government should pay 500,000 rupees (€5,835) in compensation per family. But the government says it has no figures on the number of deaths during the movement.
The leaders said they will review next month the steps taken by the government and decide their future course of action.
https://www.euronews.com/2021/12/11/indian-farmers-end-yearlong-protests-and-return-home
Tens of thousands of jubilant Indian farmers on Saturday cleared protest sites on the capital’s outskirts and began returning home, marking an end to their year-long demonstrations against agricultural reforms that were repealed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in a rare retreat.
Farmers dismantled their makeshift accommodations at multiple protest sites and started to vacate long stretches of highways ringing New Delhi where they have camped since November last year. Hundreds of them waved green and white flags and danced to celebrate their victory as they rode tractors, jeeps and cars.
“Farmers have saved the democracy. It was a fight for justice,” said farmer Nagendra Singh.
After a year of insisting that the new measures would benefit farmers, Modi made a surprise announcement to withdraw them last month. A bill to repeal the laws was officially passed in Parliament on Nov. 30. But the farmers did not immediately vacate the protest sites and said they would continue to demonstrate until the government agreed to other demands, including guaranteed prices for key crops and the withdrawal of criminal cases against protesters.
On Thursday, the government set up a committee to consider those demands.
Modi’s government had insisted that the laws were necessary reforms to modernize Indian farming and would lead to a deregulated market with more private-sector control of agriculture.
The farmers said the laws would drastically shrink their incomes and leave them at the mercy of big corporations. In protest, they pressed for the complete repeal of the laws.
They also demanded the government guarantee prices for certain essential crops such as wheat and rice. Currently, an overwhelming majority of farmers sell only to government-sanctioned marketplaces at fixed prices.
Farmers form one of India’s most influential voting blocs and Modi’s decision to scrap the laws came ahead of elections early next year in key states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, both significant agricultural producers and where his Bharatiya Janata Party is eager to shore up its support.
Political analysts say the upcoming elections are a major reason behind the surprise move, but that it’s too early to say whether it will work.
“Modi apologised to farmers but only after resorting to dictatorship. We were called terrorists. He bowed to protests because of the upcoming elections,” said Jaigran, another farmer who uses just one name.
Initially, Modi’s government had tried to discredit the protestors — mostly Sikh farmers — by dismissing their concerns as motivated by religious nationalism. Some leaders in Modi’s party called them “Khalistanis,” a reference to a movement for an independent Sikh homeland in India.
Such allegations backfired, further angering the farmers and their supporters.
The protests drew international support and were the biggest challenge Modi’s government faced since coming to power in 2014.
They were largely peaceful but violence erupted on Jan. 26 when thousands of farmers briefly took over New Delhi’s historic Red Fort in a deeply symbolic move. At least one farmer died and a number of protesters and police were injured.
Farmers’ leaders say more than 500 protesters have died due to suicide, cold weather and COVID-19 since November last year and they insist the government should pay 500,000 rupees (€5,835) in compensation per family. But the government says it has no figures on the number of deaths during the movement.
The leaders said they will review next month the steps taken by the government and decide their future course of action.
https://www.euronews.com/2021/12/11/indian-farmers-end-yearlong-protests-and-return-home
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Most farmers’ bodies supported the three farm laws, SC-appointed panel’s report reveals
The report, a copy of which was sent to The Indian Express, claimed that 61 organisations, comprising 3.3 crore farmers, it interacted with supported the farm laws.
Months before the Centre repealed the three controversial farm laws, a Supreme Court-appointed committee had recommended against their withdrawal, underlining that a “majority” farm unions support them and “a repeal or a long suspension” would be “unfair to this silent majority”. The committee’s report was made public on Monday for the first time since it was submitted to the apex court a year ago.
The 92-page report was released by Anil Ghanwat, one of the three members of the committee, at a press conference in New Delhi on Monday. Two other members of the committee, agricultural economists Ashok Gulati and Dr Parmod Kumar Joshi, were not present on the occasion.
Citing the feedback received by the committee, the report states, “The bilateral interactions of the committee with the stakeholders demonstrated that only 13.3 per cent of the stakeholders were not in favour of the three farm laws. Around 85.7 per cent of the farmer organisations representing around 3.3-crore farmers supported the laws.”
“The feedback received by the committee through its online portal established that one-third of the respondents did not support the farm laws and around two-thirds were in their favour. The feedback received through e-mails also shows that a majority supported the farm laws. In view of this feedback, the committee recommends that a repeal or a long suspension would, therefore, be unfair to this ‘silent’ supporters,” said the report.
According to the report, the committee extended an invitation to 266 farmer organisations, including the protesting farm unions. However, the protesting farm organisations did not meet the committee. The report shows that out of 266 farm bodies invited, the committee “interacted directly” with 73 farmer bodies representing 3.83-crore farmers, of which 61 farmer organisations representing 3.3 crore farmers (85.7 per cent) “fully supported” the Acts. According to various official estimates, the number of farmers in India is in the range of 9 crore to 15 crore
Besides, the committee invited comments on a detailed questionnaire on three farm laws on its portal, and it received 19,027 responses. The committee had also recommended “revisiting” of the MSP policy and discontinuation of open-ended procurement, citing bulging central pool stocks.
The committee had recommended to make the MSP the prerogative of the states, providing for a legal backing for such procurements at their own costs as the recent Punjab Amendment Act does, the report said. The committee felt that instead of a blanket procurement of wheat and paddy, the FCI should instead put a cap on procurement.
The committee also deliberated upon to allocate the Centre’s expenditure on procurement, storage and PDS of wheat and rice across states, the report said. The committee also recommended gradual diversification from paddy to more sustainable high-value crops, especially in the Punjab-Haryana belt.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/supreme-court-panel-farm-laws-committee-report-7829332/
The report, a copy of which was sent to The Indian Express, claimed that 61 organisations, comprising 3.3 crore farmers, it interacted with supported the farm laws.
Months before the Centre repealed the three controversial farm laws, a Supreme Court-appointed committee had recommended against their withdrawal, underlining that a “majority” farm unions support them and “a repeal or a long suspension” would be “unfair to this silent majority”. The committee’s report was made public on Monday for the first time since it was submitted to the apex court a year ago.
The 92-page report was released by Anil Ghanwat, one of the three members of the committee, at a press conference in New Delhi on Monday. Two other members of the committee, agricultural economists Ashok Gulati and Dr Parmod Kumar Joshi, were not present on the occasion.
Citing the feedback received by the committee, the report states, “The bilateral interactions of the committee with the stakeholders demonstrated that only 13.3 per cent of the stakeholders were not in favour of the three farm laws. Around 85.7 per cent of the farmer organisations representing around 3.3-crore farmers supported the laws.”
“The feedback received by the committee through its online portal established that one-third of the respondents did not support the farm laws and around two-thirds were in their favour. The feedback received through e-mails also shows that a majority supported the farm laws. In view of this feedback, the committee recommends that a repeal or a long suspension would, therefore, be unfair to this ‘silent’ supporters,” said the report.
According to the report, the committee extended an invitation to 266 farmer organisations, including the protesting farm unions. However, the protesting farm organisations did not meet the committee. The report shows that out of 266 farm bodies invited, the committee “interacted directly” with 73 farmer bodies representing 3.83-crore farmers, of which 61 farmer organisations representing 3.3 crore farmers (85.7 per cent) “fully supported” the Acts. According to various official estimates, the number of farmers in India is in the range of 9 crore to 15 crore
Besides, the committee invited comments on a detailed questionnaire on three farm laws on its portal, and it received 19,027 responses. The committee had also recommended “revisiting” of the MSP policy and discontinuation of open-ended procurement, citing bulging central pool stocks.
The committee had recommended to make the MSP the prerogative of the states, providing for a legal backing for such procurements at their own costs as the recent Punjab Amendment Act does, the report said. The committee felt that instead of a blanket procurement of wheat and paddy, the FCI should instead put a cap on procurement.
The committee also deliberated upon to allocate the Centre’s expenditure on procurement, storage and PDS of wheat and rice across states, the report said. The committee also recommended gradual diversification from paddy to more sustainable high-value crops, especially in the Punjab-Haryana belt.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/supreme-court-panel-farm-laws-committee-report-7829332/
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India's democracy is most in danger when even 83% support is not enough....
"Of the 73 farmer organisations representing more than 3.83 crore farmers that engaged with us, 61 (representing 3.3 crore farmers), fully supported the farm laws."
Shame on Modi and Government form repealing Farm Laws.
"Of the 73 farmer organisations representing more than 3.83 crore farmers that engaged with us, 61 (representing 3.3 crore farmers), fully supported the farm laws."
Shame on Modi and Government form repealing Farm Laws.
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What a shame!
Shameless Liberals, Pseudos and Congress Clowns encouraged Fake Farmer protests for 13 months.
This was more to contain the Khalistanis who had infiltrated the farmers protest.
Shameless Liberals, Pseudos and Congress Clowns encouraged Fake Farmer protests for 13 months.
This was more to contain the Khalistanis who had infiltrated the farmers protest.
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SC was equally guilty when they kept quiet knowing well this was political conspiracy and aimed to benefit few politicians but actually hurt the farmers.
This is alarming and a travesty!
This is alarming and a travesty!
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This is a prime example of how decisions based on emotions and social media pressure can be devoid of any logic and harm the nation in long run. People responsible should take the accountability and say sorry to those 83% farmers who could have their life changed.
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2 minutes silence for all Fake propaganda posters in this thread.
Farm laws were accepted by 84% of the country's farmers.
SC is responsible for this mess, clearly BJP buckled under pressure.
Farm laws were accepted by 84% of the country's farmers.
SC is responsible for this mess, clearly BJP buckled under pressure.
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Lol I have supported Farm laws but claiming them to Khalistanis is stupid, many in Haryana joined the protests as well.
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He thinks it’s a nonsense report.. don’t post it out of context:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/OnReality_Check?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OnReality_Check</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/_YogendraYadav?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_YogendraYadav</a>, member and former president, Swaraj India, member, coordination Committee, Samyukta Kisan Morcha on the report by the SC appointed committee, that was submitted to the court last year, which claims that close to 86% farmers supported the laws <a href="https://t.co/BFQvS9bawc">pic.twitter.com/BFQvS9bawc</a></p>— NDTV (@ndtv) <a href="https://twitter.com/ndtv/status/1506280418395439124?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Then why protestors hold Khalistan flags?
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That's for break up details of 83%..Ignore his opinion.
He is bashing SC, silly he is asking Farmers education and age details.
JaDed
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Lol are you confusing the Sikh flag with Khalistani flag?
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