Page 6 - Farmers Protest

Protesting farmers set for nationwide 'Rail Roko'; Delhi march in focus

Farmers protest: The 'Delhi Chalo' march will resume on March 6, followed by a nationwide' Rail Roko' on March 10

Farmers will remain at borders until govt opens roads: Sarwan Singh Pandher

The farmer leader said that the groups of farmers will remain at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders till the government opens the roads to Delhi

Modi govt treating farmers like 'enemies', says Congress chief Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday alleged that the Narendra Modi government was "anti-farmer" and treating farmers as "enemies" for demanding their rights. His remarks come a day after farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal gave a call to farmers across the nation to reach Delhi on March 6 for a protest. They also gave a four-hour countrywide 'rail roko' call for March 10 in support of their various demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm debt waiver. They have asserted that the farmers' ongoing agitation will be intensified at the existing protest points and will continue till their demands are met by the government. In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge alleged that in order to benefit its "select crony capitalist friends", the Modi government has consistently sacrificed the interests of farmers. "When the farmer who provides food to the country wants to produce a bumper crop and export it, then the Mo

Had govt brought law on MSP, farmers wouldn't be protesting again: Hooda

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda has said that farmers would not have been on a warpath with the government again had it brought a fourth law, alongside the three contentious agro-marketing legislations that were eventually repealed in 2021, to make buying farm produce below their MSPs an offence. The three 2020 laws that the government had said were essential for farm sector reforms were repealed in November 2021 after a prolonged farmers' protest spearheaded by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. The agitating farmers were also demanding a law to grantee a minimum price for crops, but the government did not agree to this. Now, thousands of farmers from Punjab are again on the streets -- this time led by SKM's splinter group Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) (SKM-NP) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) -- demanding a legal guarantee for MSP for crops and farm-debt waiver. The have been camping out at the two border points -- Shambhu and Khanauri -- on Punjab-Haryana border for past .

LoP Bhupinder Hooda seeks compensation for crops damaged due to hailstorms

Former Haryana chief minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday demanded compensation for the farmers, who suffered damage to crops due to hailstorms. He said that hailstorms damaged crops in many areas, including Rohtak, Jhajjar, Rewari, Bhiwani, Ambala, Kurukshetra Sirsa, Sonipat, Yamunanagar, Karnal Fatehabad, Hisar, Jind and Charkhi Dadri. In a statement, Hooda demanded that the state government should get 'girdawari' (survey to assess loss) done at the earliest and compensate the farmers. He said that unseasonal rains and hailstorms have caused huge damage to the standing crops of wheat and mustard, adding the extent of damage was aggravated due to strong winds. Hooda said this has led to a situation where the farmers fear that production would decrease. He alleged that for the last several seasons, the BJP-JJP government in the state is not giving any compensation to the farmers for their losses. "Even after so many months, the flood affected farmer

400 farmer outfits to take part in 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' on March 14: SKM

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which spearheaded a farmers' agitation in 2020-21, said on Saturday that more than 400 farmer outfits will participate in a "Kisan Mahapanchayat" in Delhi on March 14 to press the BJP-led Centre to accept their demands, including a law on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Thirty-seven farmer bodies, which are part of the SKM, held a meeting on Saturday regarding their proposed "mahapanchayat" at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan. Talking to reporters, Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal said farmers are continuously struggling for their demands. In continuation of their struggle, it was decided that a "mahapanchayat" will be organised in the national capital on March 14, he added. More than 400 farmer organisations from across the country will take part in the "mahapanchayat", farmer leaders said. They said they will not travel to Delhi by tractor trolleys, but through buses and trains. They said they are continuo

Haryana Samyukta Kisan Morcha to hold large gathering in Delhi on March 14

Haryana farmers have formed HSKM, which includes the different 18 outfits of the state

FIR lodged on Shubkaran's death, last rites to be performed today: Pandher

"Also today we will take the body of the deceased (Shubhkaran Singh) to the Khanauri Border, and his (Shubhkaran Singh) last rites will be performed at his native village," the farmer leader said

Is legalising MSP workable? Agri economists talk about the pros and cons

The MSP scheme already exists and has been in existence for more than five decades. A legal guarantee simply provides a legislative co­ver to ensure proper imple­men­tation, argues Himanshu

Centre's 5-crop MSP proposal: Why Punjab farmers are reluctant to diversify

As Centre proposes purchase of alternative crops at MSP, a look at why Punjab farmers are reluctant to diversify

WTO subsidy policy bad for farmers, says Pandher ahead of tractor march

Farmers under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) are all set to launch a nationwide tractor procession on highways on Monday

Bharat Ratna to Swaminathan to hide anti-farmer stance?: Sharad Pawar group

The Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar has claimed the Narendra Modi government bestowed the Bharat Ratna on eminent agricultural scientist late Dr MS Swaminathan to divert attention from its anti-farmer stance. One of the main demands of the farm outfits protesting currently is the implementation of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism based on the formula of Swaminathan but the Centre was unwilling to implement it, NCP's Sharad Pawar faction national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said on Sunday. "It is more than two weeks since the current farmers' protest started. The farmers have been stopped by the government from entering Delhi and placing their demands. They protested in 2020-21 too and after many lives were lost, the government took back the three farm laws as demanded by the farmers," Crasto said in a statement. The Union government's move to give Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, to Swaminathan was to divert the attention from its anti-farmer

How the government lost the script on MSP to farmers

An agitation, perhaps scripted to end in a compromise, is unexpectedly rewriting itself

Farmers' protest: Barrier removed for commuters at Singhu, Tikri borders

On Sunday, the city police removed two huge cement barriers for those commuters who walk towards Delhi using a small passage at the Singhu and Tikri borders

Won't end agitation until our demands met, says farmer leader Pandher

Farmers participating in the 'Delhi Chalo' call will not end their agitation until their demands are met, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Saturday while indicating that their stir may continue even after the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls comes into force. Thousands of farmers have been staying put at Khanauri and Shambhu points on Punjab's border with Haryana along with their tractor-trolleys and trucks after their march to the national capital to press the Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, was stopped by security forces. Last Wednesday, the 'Delhi Chalo' march, spearheaded by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), was put on hold by farmer leaders for two days after a protester was killed and around 12 police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri. The incident took place when some protesting farmers were trying to head towards barricades. Speaking to

Farmers' Delhi chalo march: Singhu, Tikri borders to be partially reopened

Authorities here initiated the process of partially reopening Singhu and Tikri borders with Haryana on Saturday, almost two weeks after they were sealed in view of farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march, officials said. A Delhi Police officer said one lane of the service lane at the Singhu border and one lane at the Tikri border are being opened to allow movement of vehicles. The opening of Singhu and Tikri borders will bring relief to those travelling from Delhi to Haryana. The two borders were sealed on February 13 as protesting farmers from Punjab began their 'Delhi Chalo' march to press their demands, including minimum support price (MSP) for crops and a farm loan waiver. Thousands of farmers have been camping on the Punjab-Haryana border near Ambala, about 200 kilometres from Delhi, after their march was thwarted by security personnel.

Arjun Munda calls for suggestions amid impasse between Centre, farmers

The Centre however expressed readiness for the fifth round of talks with the farmers while urging them to find a solution through 'dialogue'

Samajwadi has always stood with farmers' demands, says Akhilesh Yadav

"(Ram Manohar) Lohia had won his first election from Farrukhabad. We hope that he will delete his tweet and help the alliance," the SP chief said

Farmers' protest: Haryana extends mobile internet suspension in 7 districts

The Haryana government has further extended the suspension of mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts by a day till Saturday in the wake of the ongoing farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' agitation, according to an official order. Mobile internet and bulk SMS services were first suspended in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa on February 11 and the suspension was extended on February 13, 15, 17, 19, 20 and 21. In the order issued on Friday, Additional Chief Secretary T V S N Prasad said, "After assessment of the current prevailing law and order situation in the state, the conditions are still critical and tense in the district Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa." "...There is a clear potential of disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disturbance of public law and order in these districts on account of misuse of internet services by way of spread of inflammatory material and false rumours,

Farmers' protest: Candle marches to be held at Shambhu, Khanauri borders

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that on February 26, effigies of the WTO, corporate houses and governments will be burned