NEW DELHI: After organising a tractor rally in the capital on Republic Day and a road blockade earlier this month, the farmers on Wednesday announced a four-hour nationwide ‘rail roko’ protest on February 18 to mark their protest against the three farm laws. Besides, they have also decided to stop the toll collection in Rajasthan from February 12.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in the Lok Sabha that the changes made by way of the new farm laws are optional besides the wholesale markets and minimum support price (MSP) have not been discontinued. The opposition Congress replied that the PM did not satisfy the concerns of the farmers.
Here are the key developments of the day:
1. Intensifying their agitation against the three new agricultural laws, protesting farmer unions on Wednesday announced a four-hour nationwide 'rail roko' (railway blockade) on February 18. In a statement, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is spearheading the protest, also announced that toll collection will not be allowed in Rajasthan from February 12. "There will be a 'rail roko' across the country from 12 pm to 4 pm on February 18," the SKM said in the statement. Earlier this month, they had observed a three-hour road blockade to press their demand of repealing the three laws.
2. After its members walked out of Lok Sabha during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech, the Congress said its leaders were forced to do so as the PM did not say anything to satisfy its concerns over the farm laws. "We thought the prime minister will talk about some important steps for the welfare of the farmers. Over 206 farmers have lost their lives, but the prime minister is not willing to say anything about it," Congress's leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told reporters outside Parliament. As the prime minister defended the three farm laws during his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks to the President for his address, the opposition members including Chowdhury repeatedly disrupted his speech. "He was talking about what his government has done for farmers and in that he also said the farm laws would benefit some people... But I said why are you bringing a law which is not beneficial for all. You say all is well, if that is so, what is the need to bring the laws," Chowdhury said. He is the prime minister of all, and all farmers want that these farm laws to be withdrawn, the Congress leader said. The Congress leader said the laws should be withdrawn and new ones should be brought only after thorough consultation with the farmers.
3. The PM, while replying to the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address, alleged that the uproar and attempts at disruption were part of a well-planned strategy to ensure that truth doesn't come out in the open. He said that the new laws only offer an "option" to farmers and the existing systems will stay, so there was no reason to oppose them. He said reforms are needed in every sphere for the progress of society. PM Modi said that the Congress and other parties have failed to pinpoint the provisions which they find problematic, following which the Congress members raised slogans demanding the repeal of the laws and walked out of the House.
4. Taking Prime Minister Narendra Modi on over the new farm legislation, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said his heart beats only for his “billionaire friends” and promised that her party will scrap the laws if it comes to power. At a 'kisan panchayat' organised by the party at Chilkana in Saharanpur district, she accused Modi of "insulting" farmers who are protesting against the laws, caring little for their viewpoint. “You have seen the 56-inch chest, in which there is a small heart that beats only for his billionaire friends. He doesn't understand how farmers feel,” the Congress general secretary said. She called the three agri-marketing laws “demonic”. “If voted to power, the Congress will scrap these laws. Farmers will get the MSP (minimum support price). Laws will be made to help you, not oppress you," she said.
5. Defending the farm laws as much needed reforms, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined that change is essential and cited the case of CCA, a British era post in Tamil Nadu for supplying cigars to the then UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill that was not abolished till several decades after independence. Speaking in Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to the President for his address, Modi said change and reforms are essential for the progress of every modern society. To buttress his point for change, Modi cited a story of CCA, Churchill Cigar Assistant, in the office of Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu. The post was specifically created for ensuring the supply of cigar to Churchill from Tiruchirappalli in the state. Despite Churchill losing in 1945 and India becoming independent in 1947, the post continued till several decades later and the fact came to light when the state government set up a commission for raising the salaries of government employees. The CCA wrote to the Commission seeking a raise but no one was even aware that such a post existed. This incident is the biggest example of a need for change in governance for the progress of the society, Modi suggested.
6. Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said the demands raised by farmers during their ongoing protest near Delhi are not wrong or unreasonable, and asked the centre to accept the same. Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting emotional on Tuesday while recollecting his association with Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Pawar told reporters here that he will feel satisfied if the same sentiments are visible in the case of farmers also. "The demand raised by farmers is not wrong, it is not unreasonable. It is the sentiment of a farmer that he gets proper compensation in return of his hard work. It is his right. The Centre should accept that just demand," Pawar said. A way has to be found to resolve the deadlock (over the agri laws), the NCP leader said. "He (Modi) became emotional while remembering old times (of association with Azad)...Will feel satisfied if the same emotions are visible in the case of farmers too," said Pawar, who is also the finance minister of Maharashtra.
7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government empathises with the protesting farmers. “We are open to modifications in farm laws if that is in the greater interest of farmers,” he said. He said the lower house, the BJP-led NDA government and all respect the farmers who are voicing their views on the farm bills. This is the reason why topmost ministers of the government are constantly talking to them. There is great respect for the farmers, he said. “He said all provisions in new farm laws are “optional”, and nothing is “compulsory”. Old mandis have not closed down. On the contrary, the government has worked for their modernisation, he said.
8. As the prime minister spoke, leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury interrupted him on multiple occasions. The PM first told him that he had come to his use. “Your protest has reached the desirable place,” the PM said in an obvious reference to Congress president Sonia Gandhi. As Chowdhury interrupted the PM’s speech, Rahul Gandhi was sitting right behind him. The PM once sat down allowed Chowdhury to complete his interjection. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla too asked Chowdhury to take his seat saying he had got ample time and opportunity to put his points across. When he did not stop despite these, the PM became stren and told him not to create an excess of disturbance. “I respect you. But now this is getting too much,” the PM said. He said those who are disrupting the House are doing so as per a well-planned strategy. They are unable to digest that people are seeing through the truth, he added. The Congress MPs subsequently boycotted the PM’s speech after raising slogans and walked out of the House.
9. The PM said he had heard a new thing this time that no one had asked for the farm reforms and why did the government legislate the farm laws. He said laws were made against dowry, triple talaq and child marriage, despite no demand from any quarter. Reformers like Raja Ram Mohun Roy and BR Ambedkar went against the tide to reform the society. The PM spoke against hanging on to the status quo mentality and said the country's youth will not wait forever for reforms. During Independence India had 28 per cent landless labourers while the latest census puts the figure at 55 per cent. He lamented that not enough investment, modernisation has gone into the agriculture sector. “We need to study global demands and change our agricultural practices accordingly.”
10. Modi quoted former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh who in one of his books had written that the whole of the country should be considered a unitary place for agricultural purposes and additional tax should be levied on transportation of agricultural produce. He also quoted NCP supremo and former Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in the Manmohan Singh government who alleged that there was a nexus of the middlemen and that agricultural produce market committee (APMC) reforms were necessary to safeguard the interests of the farmers. But now he was saying just the opposite. “Therefore, sometimes I doubt about the reason behind his present stand,” the PM said.
(With agency inputs)