Farmers' Protest Highlights: The 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest at border points of New Delhi has entered the 89th day today. Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, are staging a sit-in protest along Delhi borders. The protest started on November 26, 2020. The farmers are demanding a complete rollback of the new farm reform laws and a guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system being retained. Multiple rounds of talks between the Centre and the farmers’ union leaders have ended in a stalemate. Protesting farmers fear that the new laws will dismantle the MSP system and corporatise farming. The Supreme Court had earlier ordered a stay on the implementation of these contentious laws, hoping it will end the protest. The farm union leaders have also rejected the Centre's proposal to suspend implementation of the laws for 18 months. On January 26, the protest turned violent when some farmers deviated from a pre-decided route for their Republic Day tractor rally and clashed with police. Some protesters scaled the ramparts of the Red Fort. Several protestors and police personnel were injured in the ensuing clashes. The farmers' unions also held a 'chakka jam' on February 6 where they blocked national and state highways to protest the internet ban in areas near their agitation sites and harassment allegedly meted out to them by authorities, among other issues.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Tikait to address rallies in MP on Mar 8, says BKU
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Singh Tikait will address rallies on March 8 in Madhya Pradesh to drum up support against the Centre's new farm laws, a functionary of his outfit said.
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Delhi Police have arrested Jaspreet Singh, a resident of Delhi, who climbed up one of the tombs located on both sides of ramparts of Red Fort during Jan 26 violence. He is seen in offensive gesture holding steel tensile installed at Red Fort. (ANI)
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Toolkit case: Lawyer Nikita Jacob, engineer Shantanu Muluk being questioned by police
Lawyer Nikita Jacob and engineer Shantanu Muluk on Monday joined the probe in connection with the toolkit case and are being questioned at the Delhi Police's Cyber cell office in Dwarka, a senior police officer said. The Delhi Police, probing the "toolkit Google doc" backing the farmers' agitation shared by climate activist Greta Thunberg, had arrested Bengaluru-based activist Disha Ravi while Jacob and Muluk were granted pre-arrest bail by a court.
"Both Jacob and Muluk were served notice to join the probe and are currently being quizzed in connection with their alleged role in the toolkit case," the officer said. (PTI)
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Agriculture is the only business that belongs to "Bharat Mata": Rahul Gandhi
After taking out a tractor rally in his constituency in solidarity with the agitating farmers, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said agriculture is the only business that belongs to "Bharat Mata" and called upon the people to "force" the government to take back three farm laws brought the BJP-led central government.
"The entire world can see the difficulties faced by Indian farmers. But the government in Delhi is unable to understand the pain of the farmers," Gandhi said addressing a meeting organised after the six kilometre tractor rally between Thrikkaipatta to Muttil in this hill district."We have pop stars who are commenting on the situation of Indian farmers but the Indian government is not interested. They are not going to take back three laws unless they are forced," the Wayanad MP said. Read more here..
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Rakesh Tikait asks farmers not to destroy crops as his 'burn crop' warning taken literally
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has issued a clarification on his warning that farmers would burn their crops if there was a crackdown on their protest against the three new farm reform laws. This happened after a group of farmers in Haryana's Jind started pulling crops off their fields.
At a ‘mahapanchayat’ in Hisar last week, Tikait said that the Centre should not be under any misconception that farmers would go back for crop harvesting. “If they insisted (cracking down the protest), then we will burn our crops. They should not think that the protest will end in two months. We will harvest as well as protest,” he said. Continue reading...
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Rahul Gandhi, in Wayanad, Kerala:
Entire world can see the difficulty faced by Indian farmers but the government is unable to understand the pain of the farmers. We have pop stars who are commenting on the situation pf the farmers, but the Indian government is not interested.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Nikita, Shantanu join Delhi Police's Toolkit probe
Activists Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk joined the investigation into the 'Toolkit' case on Monday at Delhi Police's cyber cell office.The development came after the Delhi Police contacted Jacob and Muluk over phone and issued notices, respectively.Both had assured they would join the investigation on Monday.
The cyber cell in Dwarka here would question them over the toolkit case as their roles need to be established with the evidence.The three accused in the case: Shantanu, Nikita and Disha Ravi might be questioned simultaneously and also confronted with each other with the evidence the cyber cell has against them. (Ians)
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Centre should not make repealing farm laws a prestige issue: Amarinder Singh
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday appealed to the Centre not to make revoking its three farm laws a prestige issue and consider so to find a long-term solution to the problem. Observing that an early resolution to the problem was critical to the safety of Punjab, witnessing a surge in smuggling of weapons into the state from across the border during the past 5-6 months, he asserted that he and his government continue to stand with farmers on the issue.
He said even in his written speech submitted to the Niti Aayog for circulation during its Saturday's meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he had categorically underscored the need for an urgent resolution of the current agitation to the satisfaction of protesting farmers by addressing all their grievances.It is farmers who have to decide what is in their interest and to what extent they are willing to compromise, if at all, on their demand for the repeal of the farm laws, said the chief minister in a statement. (PTI)
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Centre's farm laws will hit MP wheat growers hardest: Kamal Nath
Wheat growers inMadhyaPradeshwill be the worst hit by the Centre's new farm laws as itwould force them to sell their produce to private players at throwaway prices instead ofMSP, state Congress chiefKamalNathsaid on Sunday.He said MP was the highest wheat producer in thecountry but it had started to fall behind Punjab.'
"Wheat growers in MP will be the biggest losers due tothe new laws, which encourage sale of wheat to private partiesat throwaway prices. Farmers will not be able to reap benefitsof the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism,"Nathtold partyworkers in a meeting.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Gherao Delhi cops if they come to arrest you: BKU's Balbir Singh Rajewal to farmers
Alleging that notices are being served on people backing the agitation against the farm laws,BKUleaderBalbirSinghRajewalon Sunday asked farmers togheraoDelhi Police personnel if they come to their villages to make an arrest.TheBKU(Rajewal) leader also asked theAmarinderSingh-led Punjab government that the state police should not cooperate with the Delhi cops.
If the Delhi Police personnel come to arrest you, gather the entire village and oppose them,"Rajewaltold farmers at a "Kisan-MazdoorEktaMahaRally in Punjab'sBarnalaon Sunday.The rally wasorganisedby theBhartiKisanUnion (EktaUgrahan) and the PunjabKhetMazdoorUnion. Two days ago,HaryanaBKUchiefGurnamSinghChadunihad made a similar appeal. Rajewalasked farmers not to appear before the Delhi Police if they get notices for joining investigation and told them to 'gherao' the Delhi Police personnel if they come to make an arrest.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | BJP resolution lauds PM Modi for reforms in agriculture sector
During a BJP meeting, chaired by party president JP Nadda, the party passed a resolution lauding the prime minister and the Centre for reforms in the agriculture sector, bringing the three new farm laws and for his able leadership in effective handling of the COVID-19 situation. The political resolution moved by BJP vice president Raman Singh was passed in the meeting and it thanked the prime minister for the reforms in the agriculture sector and his able leadership in effective handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The government brought in three farm laws in the interest of farmers to ensure they get the right price for their produce, their income doubles and that they have the freedom to sell their farm produce where they want to," reads the resolution. The meeting, which was also being attended by BJP state unit presidents, assumes significance as it came amid fierce protests by a section of farmers in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh against the three new farm laws. Read more here...
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Rohtak women reach Ghazipur to express solidarity with protestorsMore than two dozen women reached Ghazipur border from Haryana's Rohtak on Sunday to express their solidarity with the farmers protesting against the three farm laws enacted by the Centre from almost three months now.They met Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait and extended their support. They said that will not go back till the farm laws are withdrawn.
Assuring Tikait about their support, the women said that "the women of Haryana will reach anywhere on his call". The women who reached the protest site from Rithala village in Rohtak said that they will come there everyday and bring milk, ghee and buttermilk for their brothers protesting here.
One of the women said: "(The Manohar Lal) Khattar government in Haryana will not last long. They created too many hurdles for the farmers and our future generation will never forget this. Farmers have protested earlier also but no government has behaved the way this government has." (Ians)
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TheHaryana government has suspendedtwo teachers for allegedly participating in the farmers' agitation, as per an NDTVreport.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Farm laws are death warrant for farmers: Arvind Kejriwal
AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met farmer leaders from Western UP on Sunday and demanded that the BJP-ruled central government withdraw the three farm laws, terming them "death warrant" for farmers.The meeting came ahead of a 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' that Kejriwal is scheduled to address on February 28 in Western UP's Meerut. The AAP has already announced that it is contesting the Assembly polls in UP in 2022 and this will be the first major appearance of Kejriwal in the poll-bound state.
"These anti-farmer laws are death warrants to the farmers. With the implementation of these laws the crops will go to the hands of a few industrialists and the farmers of India will become labourers in their own land. "The central government should immediately withdraw all the three black laws and extend legal guarantee of MSP on all the 23 crops following the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission," the AAP chief said.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Will soon visit Gujarat to mobilise support for farmers' protest: BKU's Rakesh Tikait
Farmer leaderRakeshTikaiton Sunday said he will soon be visiting Gujarat to drum up support for the movement against the Centre's contentious farm laws.He said this as he met visiting groups of supporters from Gujarat and Maharashtra atGhazipuron theDelhi-UttarPradesh border where he has been camping along with his supporters since November.
Tikaitwas presented with a charkha (spinning wheel) by the visiting group fromGandhidhamin Gujarat.Gandhijihad used charkha to drive the British out of India. Now, we will use the charkha to drive outcorporates. We will soon go to Gujarat andmobilisesupport for the farmers' protest for repeal of the new laws, he added.
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Protesting farmers announce series of events from February 23-27 to intensify stir
From 'Pagadi Sambhal Diwas' to 'Daman Virodhi Diwas', protesting farmers Sunday announced a series of events from February 23-27 to further intensify their agitation against the three new agricultural laws as they accused the government of adopting "repressive" measures against them.They also said they will soon devise a strategy to keep the protest going for long and will make their plans public on February 28.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is spearheading the protests, told a press conference here that under their proposed escalation programme, February 23 will be observed as 'Pagadi Sambhal Diwas' and February 24 as 'Daman Virodhi Diwas', essentially to underline that farmers must be respected and no "repressive measures" should be taken against them.
"The 'Pagdi Sambhal Diwas' will be celebrated on February 23. This day will be celebrated in memory of Chacha Ajit Singh and Swami Sahajanand Saraswati. On this day, farmers will be wearing their regional turbans. Continue reading...
Farmers' Protest LIVE Updates | Crowd gathering doesn't lead to revocation of laws: Narendra Tomar
Union minister Narendra SinghTomar on Sunday reiterated that the Centre was ready to talk to the farmers protesting against the new agriculture laws,
and said that mere gathering of crowd does not lead to revocation of legislations. He urged the agitating farm unions to tell the government which provisions in these new laws they find anti-farmers. "Considering the issue with sensitivity, the government has held 12 rounds of talks with the farmer unions. But decisions on the basis of talks could be taken when objections (over the new farm laws) are pointed out," the Agriculture Minister told reporters here when asked about the
protest.
The unions should tell as to what is anti-farmers in the new laws, he added. "You flatly say revoke the laws...It doesn't happen that crowd gathers and the laws get revoked," he said. Farmer unions should tell the government what provisions are against the farmers. The government is ready to understand this and make amendments even today.
Good morning!
Hello and welcome to Moneycontrol’s coverage of the farmers’ protest. The 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest at border points of New Delhi has entered 89th day today. Stay tuned to this LIVE blog for the latest updates throughout the day.
