Farmers protest at Singhu border. (Express Photo: Praveen Khanna)Farmers’ Protest Today Live Updates: As farmers continue to protest against the three central farm laws at Delhi borders, the Shiv Sena on Monday urged the Centre to show its “large-heartedness” and repeal the contentious laws. An editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ blamed the NDA government for the “deteriorating” situation, and said farmers have the right to protest.
In Lucknow, police took Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav into custody after party leaders led by him broke through security cordon to sit on a dharna in the heart of the city in support of the farmers’ agitation.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with his cabinet colleagues, on Monday met farmers at the Singhu border, where reviewed the arrangements such as toilets and availability of water at the protest site.
The AAP, along with 14 other opposition parties have extended support to the December 8 Bharat Bandh call by the farmers to protest against the three contentious ordinances. This coalition is being seen as a renewed attempt by the beleaguered political opposition to push the NDA to concede on the three farm laws it had passed in September ignoring calls for more discussion and scrutiny.
The BJP lashed out at the opposition parties on Monday for coming out against the farm reforms enacted by the Narendra Modi government as it cited their earlier support to many provisions of the new laws to accuse them of "shameful double standards".
Senior BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that a section of farmers has fallen in the grip of a few people with "vested interests" and asserted that the government was working to address their misgivings about the reforms, which have drawn strong protests from a section of cultivators.
"BEST buses will be operational tomorrow and will not be part of 'Bharat Bandh'. Protective iron grills and other protective gears will be used while plying the buses tomorrow," the PRO, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport said in a statement.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday appealed to the central government to take a decision soon to address the issues of farmers. Rai, who also raised the issue in a meeting of ICAR called by the Centre on Monday, said if the income of farmers has to be increased, the minimum support price (MSP) will have to be implemented.
"The farmers are shivering in cold since the last 11 days. If the income of farmers has to be increased, then as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan committee, MSP will have to be implemented," Rai told reporters. "As the farmers are demanding, the central government must deliberate on their demands and take a decision soon to address the issue of farmers," he added.
(PTI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday contended that the BJP government at the Centre should immediately withdraw the 'anti-people' farm laws or step down.Addressing a rally in West Midnapore district, Banerjee asserted that she would rather stay in jail than 'remain silent or put up with BJP's misrule'. 'The BJP government (at the Centre) should immediately withdraw the farm bills or step down. It should not continue to remain in power after sacrificing the rights of the farmers,' she claimed. Read more
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav detained by UP cops, bundled into police van after he sits on dharna against farm bills.
Left parties comprising the Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Revolutionary Socialist Party and All India Forward Bloc have announced their support to the Bharat Bandh called by Kisan Organisations.on December 8.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Monday too extended support to the December 8 'Bharat Bandh', with party chief Mayawati appealing to the Centre to accept their demands. In a tweet on Monday, she said, "Farmers are protesting against three farm laws and are demanding their withdrawal. Farmer organisations have given a 'Bharat Bandh' call on December 8, and the BSP supports it. Along with this, it appeals to the Centre to accept the demands of farmers."
With farmers' protest against the Centre's farm laws going on at Delhi borders, the Shiv Sena on Monday said if the Central government repeals the agri-marketing laws, it will show its "large-heartedness". An editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' blamed the central government for the "deteriorating" situation, and said farmers have the right to protest.
Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday broke security cordon and sat on dharna in heart of Lucknow to express solidarity with farmers protesting farm bills, PTI reported. Earlier in the morning, the Uttar Pradesh Police had sealed a road near the Samajwadi Party office and placed barricades on it ahead of Akhilesh Yadav's visit to Kannauj for a 'Kisan Yatra', with the party terming the administration's move as "undemocratic". "Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav was to visit Kannauj for a programme, but the Kannauj district magistrate did not give permission for it. Hence, the portion of the Vikramaditya Marg leading to the SP office has been sealed," PTI quoted Station House Officer (SHO), Gautampalli, Chandrashekhar Singh as saying.
Farmer outfits in Kerala have decided to exclude the state from the nationwide bandh called on December 8 (Tuesday) as five districts of the state will go to polls in the first phase of the local body elections scheduled on the day. Voters in local bodies across Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Idukki are set to cast their votes on Tuesday.
Considering the hardships the bandh can potentially cause to voters and election officials, farmer outfits are exploring alternate ways of registering their solidarity with the farmers who are protesting on the borders of the national capital against the Centre's farm laws.
KN Balagopal, state secretary of the CPM-affiliated Kerala Karshaka Sangham, and Lal Varghese Kalapakavady, chief of the Congress-affiliated Karshaka Congress, told reporters that their outfits would carry out peaceful demonstrations at select spots against the farm laws without disturbing the sanctity of the polling process. Both Left parties and the Congress have backed the nationwide bandh.
In Assam, all opposition parties — including Congress, AIUDF, the Left, among others — have come together to extend their “full support” to the Bharat Bandh called by the farmer unions on December 8.
A statement from the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee said that apart from supporting the bandh on December 8, the party’s local units will hold protest programs with the farmers in farms across the state and burn effigies of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Assam chapter of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) said that the new farm laws amounted to annulling the Minimum Support Price, which the BJP had promised in its “Vision Document” for Assam. The statement — which was signed by the Congress, CPI-ML, CPI, Liberal Democratic Party Anchalik Gana Marcha, Assam Jatiya Parishad, Raijor Dol, among others — said that the general public’s food security will be affected by the corporatisation of agriculture that the laws will result in. The statement appealed to all offices and educational institutions, including banks and courts to remain shut, and vehicles to be off the roads on December 8.
Peasant organisation Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti — founded by Akhil Gogoi — also extended their support to the bandh. In a statement, the organisation said that they would build a movement against the anti-farmer laws in Assam. “BJP is doing this to appease its corporate friends and the farmers of Assam will never accept these laws”, said the statement. --Tora Agarwala reports from Assam
Backing the farmer's call for 'Bharat Bandh' on December 8, the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana requested all the advocates of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, including the advocates at Punjab and Haryana High Court, to abstain from work on Tuesday.
Chairman of Bar Council, Karanjit Singh said that a request letter has also been sent to the Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman and the chaimans of all the state bar councils across India to support the farmers' call of Bharat Bandh on December 8 by abstaining from work.
Meanwhile, in a bid to help and support the farmers, the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana decided to send 1,000 blankets and dry ration to the agitating farmers at Sindhu boarder, said Karanjit Singh. Read more
BJP MP and actor Sunny Deol says he believes the government at the Centre always thinks about the betterment of farmers and hopes the party will ensure the right outcome after talks with farmers protesting against the new agricultural laws.Deol on Sunday evening issued a statement on his Twitter handle in Hindi, saying the matter is between the farmers and government, but there are people who are trying to gain something out of the agitation. "I know that many people want to take advantage of the situation and are creating problems. They are not thinking of farmers. They may have their own agenda. "I stand with my party and farmers and will always be with farmers. Our government always thinks of the betterment of farmers and I am sure that the government will ensure the right outcome after holding talks with farmers," the BJP MP from Gurdaspur said in a statement. Read more
Congress MPs from Punjab protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding winter session of Parliament to discuss farmers issue. "Session should be called, anti-farmer laws should be reconsidered & withdrawn. Govt is avoiding the session. It's against democracy," MP Manish Tewari says.
NCP issues clarification on controversy over Sharad Pawar's letters (attached in tweet) of 2010 & 2011 to Sheila Dixit & SS Chouhan. "As agriculture minister, Pawar tried to form broader consensus among State Agriculture Marketing Boards by inviting suggestions for implementation of the Act. Benefit of farmers as per model APMC Act was explained to various state govts and many govts came forward to implement it. The new farm bill has raised several doubts & insecurity in minds of farmers regarding MSP & other issues that the govt has failed to address. Modi Govt couldn't form broader consensus & has failed to satisfy legitimate apprehensions of the farmers & entire opposition," the party said
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with his cabinet colleagues, met farmers at the Singhu border, where they have been protesting against the new farm laws which the government had passed in September. The CM will check arrangements such as toilets and availability of water at the protest site.
Farmers continue protest at Tikri (Delhi-Haryana border).
In a bid to express solidarity with the farmers protesting in Delhi, Aikya Horata –– a coalition of farmers, labourers, and members of Dalit organisations –– will begin an indefinite sit-in protest in Bengaluru on Monday.
According to the organisers, the protesters will also demand the Karnataka government to withdraw their proposed amendments to farm and labour laws in the state. Meanwhile, the Karnataka chapter of the All-India Kisan Sangharsh co-ordination Committee has called for a six-hour bandh on Tuesday, in support of the agitations planned across the nation demanding the same.
In Bengaluru, protests are scheduled to begin with a gathering at Maurya Hotel Circle from 11.30 am today.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to visit the Singhu border on Monday, where the farmers are protesting against the new farm laws which the government had passed in September. "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will visit Singhu Border along with his cabinet ministers later in the day," news agency PTI quoted an AAP functionary as saying. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), along with 14 other opposition parties, had on Sunday extended its support to the 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmers' organisations on December 8. On Sunday, Kejriwal had said that all AAP workers across the country will support the nationwide strike and appealed to all citizens to support the farmers.
A day after protesting farmers at New Delhi's borders called for a nationwide general strike, the demand earned support from various opposition parties, including AAP and Congress.
Delhi's neighbouring state of Haryana, where the farmers' stir has been gathering momentum, has called a high-level meeting to review the law and order situation ahead of the planned Bharat bandh. Farmers, on their part, said it was mutually agreed by the unions that more farmers from different states would be included in the protest. Here's all you need to know about the Bharat Bandh.