Page 13 - Farmers

Farmers will discuss Centre's 5-year MSP proposal, says Sarwan Pandher

The Centre's proposal of buying pulses, maize and cotton by government agencies at MSP will be discussed by farmers, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Monday but asserted that they will not back out of their demand for a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops. His remarks came after a meeting between farmer leaders and a panel of three Union ministers on Sunday and amid thousands of protesting farmers camping at the Punjab-Haryana border as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' march. Talking to reporters at the Shambhu border point, Pandher said farmers will hold a discussion on the proposal given by the Centre. Farmers have not backed out of their demand for a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) and never will, he said while replying to a question. Pandher said farmer leaders are going to the Khanauri border point where a farmer died. On Sunday, a 72-year-old farmer, who was part of the protest there, died of cardiac arrest. Earlier, a 63-year-old farmer had

Union ministers hold fourth round of talks with farmers in Chandigarh

The panel of Union ministers holding talks with protesting farmers reached Chandigarh on Sunday evening for a fourth round of dialogue with farmer leaders over their demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP. After reaching here, Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda and Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal went to a hotel where Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav were present. The meeting between the ministers and the farmer leaders will be held at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26. The two sides had met earlier on February 8, 12 and 15 but the talks remained inconclusive. Prominent among the farmer leaders who will attend the meeting are Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher, who are spearheading the agitation. Besides minimum support price (MSP) for crops, the farmers are demanding a loan waiver, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, .

Farmers' protests: Why are Tikaits, many big guns missing in action?

A protracted agitation may force other farmer leaders, and political parties to join forces with protesters: Experts

Farmers' protest: Internet ban extended in parts of Punjab till Feb 24

The suspension of internet services has been extended in certain areas of some Punjab districts, including Patiala, Sangrur and Fatehgarh Sahib, till February 24 on the orders of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Earlier, the internet services were suspended from February 12 till 16 in view of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march. According to the ministry's February 16 order, internet services will remain suspended in areas falling under Shambhu, Julkan, Passian, Patran, Shatrana, Samana, Ghanaur, Devigarh and Balbhera police stations in Patiala; Lalru police station in Mohali; Sangat police station in Bathinda; Killianwali police station in Muktsar; Sardulgarh and Boha police stations in Mansa; and Khanauri, Moonak, Lehra, Sunam and Chajli police stations in Sangrur; and areas under Fatehgarh Sahib police station. The Centre used its special powers under the Telegraph Act of 1885 to suspend internet services in these areas of Punjab. "In exercise of the power conferred by section 7

Farmers' protest: Internet suspended in 7 districts of Haryana till Feb 19

The Haryana government on Saturday extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts by two more days till February 19 in the wake of the farmers' agitation. The affected districts are Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa. The government had earlier extended the suspension of mobile internet on February 13 and 15. Protesting farmers have stayed put at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab's border with Haryana for the fifth day after their 'Delhi Chalo' march to press the Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, was stopped by security forces which led to clashes. Besides a legal guarantee of MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, ...

Ahead of meet with Centre, farmers demand ordinance for MSP guarantee

A day before the crucial meeting with Union ministers, farm leaders on Saturday asked the Centre to bring an ordinance on giving a legal guarantee to MSP, while a tractor march and dharnas were held in support of farmers protesting at the borders of Punjab. Union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai and farmer leaders from Punjab will meet on Sunday for the fourth round of talks. The two sides met earlier on February 8, 12 and 15, but those talks remained inconclusive. On the fifth day of their 'Delhi Chalo' march -- called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha -- the farmers stayed put at the Shambhu and Khanauri points of the Punjab-Haryana border as they press the Centre to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Saturday demanded that the Centre should bring an ordinance on giving a legal guarantee to MSP, a key demand of protesting ...

Farmers to stage dharnas in four states on Feb 21, says Rakesh Tikait

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Saturday announced that farmers will stage dharnas in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand on February 21 to press their demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP. Speaking to reporters after attending a panchayat in Sisauli here, Tikait said a resolution was passed during the meeting asking the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to launch a tractor march to Delhi in the last week of February if the government does not accept farmers' demands. The panchayat was held as farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march, called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, to press the government to accept their demands entered the fifth day on Saturday. The farmers from Punjab began their march to Delhi on Tuesday but were stopped by security personnel at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab's border with Haryana. The protesters have stayed put at the two border points since then. Besides a legal guarantee of minimum

100 farmers arrested at Thanjavur station for staging 'rail roko' protest

Around 100 farmers from different farmers associations were arrested at Thanjavur Railway station on Saturday when they tried to stage a 'rail roko' protest in front of the Cholan Express. The group was protesting the police action against the farmers' agitation in New Delhi. P R Pandian, Ayyakannu and Sundaravimalanathan, presidents of the various farmers associations, participated in the 'rail roko'.

Highlights: Haryana Police use tear gas on farmers at Shambhu border

Farmers' protest march LIVE updates: Catch all the latest updates on the farmers' protest here

Farmers' agitation to cause Rs 500 cr loss daily to northern states: Phdcci

Industry body PHDCCI on Friday said it apprehends "severe hit" to trade and industry and loss of employment in the northern states from a lingering farmers' agitation which would result in economic losses of over Rs 500 crore daily. "A lingering agitation will cause Rs 500 crores economic loss daily and will have an impact on Q4 Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of northern states majorly Punjab, Haryana and Delhi," said Sanjeev Agrawal, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The industry body looks forward to an early resolution of the issues from both the government and the farmers, with a common consensus for the welfare of all in the country, he added. Agrawal stated that the farmers' agitation is severely impacting the businesses of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan as raw materials of such units are procured largely from other states to execute production processes and to

Central govt doing injustice to farmers: Cong leader Jairam Ramesh

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over farmers' protest, alleging that the Center is doing injustice to them. Interacting with media persons in Rohtas, Ramesh said, When the Modi government brought three black laws, the farmers sat on strike for almost a year. After that, the government withdrew the laws and made many promises to the farmers. These promises have not been fulfilled till date. He was referring to three laws that the Modi government had passed in June 2020, stating that those would bring reforms to the farm sector. However, cultivators started protesting against the legislations in November and ended their agitation after Parliament repealed the three laws in the same month next year. Now, when the farmers are coming to Delhi again, the Central government is raining tear gas shells on them and spreading nails on their path. The Modi government is committing huge atrocities on them and doing injusti

Cong condemns police action on farmers, urges govt to fulfil MSP promise

The Congress on Friday condemned the police action on farmers protesting at Shambhu border and urged the government to fulfil its promises made to them on providing legal guarantee to minimum support price on crops and other demands. The party also hit out at the Haryana government, alleging it was creating impediments and committing brutality on peaceful farmers wanting to proceed to Delhi to remind the government of its promise. Chairman of the All India Kisan Congress Sukhpal Singh Khaira said at a press conference that the Centre should consider their legitimate demands. He also demanded that the government withdraw all criminal cases against the farmers booked during the last agitation two years ago and adequate compensation be paid to families of all those 700 farmers who lost their lives during the year-long agitation at Delhi's borders. He showed pictures of injured farmers in Shambhu border due to tear gas shells and rubber bullets lobbed at them by Haryana Police, claimin

Haryana Police fire tear gas shells as farmers gather at Shambhu border

Haryana Police on Friday fired tear gas shells to disperse protesting farmers when they moved towards the barricades at the Shambhu border near Ambala. The fresh confrontation comes on the fourth day of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' march to demand a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops. Protesting farmers from Punjab have stayed put at the Shambhu and Khanauri -- two points on the state's border with Haryana. There were clashes between the farmers and Haryana Police personnel on the first two days of the protest as well. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had given the call for the 'Delhi Chalo' march to press the BJP-led central government to accept their demands. The farmers from Punjab began their march to the national capital on Tuesday but were stopped by security personnel at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points. Besides a legal guarantee of MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commissi

Bharat bandh on Feb 16: What will remain open and what shut amid farmers' protest

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and central trade unions have announced a nationwide Gramin Bharat Bandh to press their demands with the Centre. Here's what will be open and what not on February 16.

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

The Haryana government on Thursday extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts by two days till February 17 in view of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' agitation. These districts are Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa, the government said in an order. On February 13, the state government had extended the suspension of these services for two days. On Tuesday, farmers from Punjab faced tear gas shells at two border points as protesters tried to break past barricades set up by the Haryana Police to stop them from heading to the national capital. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' agitation to put pressure on the Centre over their demands, including a law on minimum support price for crops and loan waivers. In the order, additional chief secretary of Haryana T V S N Prasad said, "After assessment of the current prevailing law & order situation in the state, the

Panel of 3 Union ministers hold talks with farmer leaders in Chandigarh

Meanwhile, there was no report of any clash between farmers and the Haryana security personnel at the two Punjab and Haryana border points - Shambhu and Khanauri - on Thursday

Protesting farmers fighting for nation, just like soldiers do: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday asserted that the protesting farmers are fighting for the country, just like soldiers do on the borders. Gandhi was referring to the 'Delhi Chalo' protest march by farmers to put pressure on the Centre for their demands, including a law on minimum support price for crops and loan waivers. The protesting farmers are fighting for our nation, just like the soldiers do on the borders, Gandhi said, addressing a rally in Aurangabad district. The Congress MP also alleged the RSS and BJP have set Manipur on fire and that they pit one community against another. The northeastern state has been rocked by ethnic strife since May last year. Criticising the Narendra Modi-led central government, Gandhi claimed that it waived loans of the super rich worth Rs 14 lakh crore, while the expenditure on MGNREGA is only Rs 70,000 crore. He also took a dig at the Union government for the presence of a large number of celebrities at the consecration ceremony of ...

Delhi biz hit due to farmers' march, buyers' footfall from NCR down by 75%

Delhi's business affected by farmers' movement is witnessing 75 per cent reduction in customers coming from NCR regions, according to a statement by Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI). The CTI said that every day around three lakh people come from NCR for shopping. Due to farmers' movement, less than one lakh people are coming. According to Brijesh Goyal, chairman of CTI and president Subhash Khandelwal, the leading organisation of traders, the number of customers in Delhi markets has declined by 75 per cent, with more than 15,000 commercial vehicles have been stopped from entering the city and more than 25,000 commercial vehicles stuck in Delhi. Around three lakh buyers from NCR cities -- Sonipat, Panipat, Rewari, Bahadurgarh, Narnaul, Gurgaon, Bawal, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad etc -- visit the markets of Delhi every day, the statement said. On Wednesday, on Basant Panchami, there are about 40,000 marriages scheduled to take place in Delhi but due to the farmers' movement, guest

Farmers' protest highlights: Mahapanchayat to discuss atrocities on farmers

Farmers' protest march updates: Catch all the latest updates on the farmers' protest here

Farmers' Protest: Police fire tear gas at protesters, heavy traffic at Delhi-Noida border

Farmers' protest latest updates: After talks between farmer leaders and the Centre remained inconclusive, over 200 farm unions are marching to the capital in their "Delhi Chalo" protest today. Watch t