Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have been protesting against three farm reform bills — The Farmers’ Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill — passed by the Parliament in the recently concluded Monsoon session. Last week, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, an MP of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), one of the BJP’s oldest allies, resigned from the Narendra Modi Cabinet, in protest against the bills.
While farmers are protesting against all three bills, their objections are mostly against the provisions of the first. And while there is no uniform demand among the protesters or a unified leadership, it emerges that their concerns are mainly about sections relating to “trade area”, “trader”, “dispute resolution” and “market fee” in the first bill.
As many as 31 farmers’ organisations, which have different ideologies and leanings, are to fight collectively against these Bills, and the first agenda on their common programme is the ‘Punjab Bandh Call’, slated for Friday (September 25).
The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee on Friday announced extending its 'rail roko' agitation in Punjab against three farm Bills till September 29. The three-day agitation was scheduled to end on September 26. "We have decided to extend our agitation till September 29. We want the government to resolve the issue of farm Bills," committee president Satnam Singh Pannu said over the phone.
The 'rail roko' agitation had started on Thursday, forcing the railway authorities to suspend the operation of special passenger trains in the state.
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Railway authorities had earlier said that 14 pairs of special trains would remain suspended between September 24 and September 26.
The decision to suspend rail operations had been taken keeping in mind the safety of passengers and protection of railway property from any damage, officials said.
UP Police detained farmers who were protesting against new agriculture bills in Lucknow on friday.Express photo by Vishal Srivastav
In an online interaction with farmers, Rahul Gandhi discussed their issues with the farm bills, 2020. Taking to twitter, Gandhi said that he supports farmers march against these bills.
The Tamil Nadu government on Friday sought to assert that the three farm bills passed in Parliament recently will not affect farmers, saying Chief Minister K Palaniswami will not allow any legislation detrimental to their interests. The farmers in the state will not be affected by the Central legilsations, Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu said. The government's assertion came on a day when farmers staged protests in different parts of the state against the agri-related bills that are being strongly opposed to by ryots across the country, besides opposition parties including the Congress and the DMK.
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal drove a tractor while his wife and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal sat beside him in Muktsar district. Sukhbir led a tractor march from his residence in Badal village to Lambi where the party had organised a protest against the Bills.
Members of farmers' bodies loyal to the Left parties Friday staged protests in various parts of West Bengal as part of the nationwide stir demanding the withdrawal of the "anti-people" farm bills passed in the Parliament. CPI(M) farmers wing 'Sara Bharat Krishak Sabha' and those of other left partners such as CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP took out rallies in the districts and blocked roads for some time. Participants in the processions at some places carried vegetables and agricultural produce and shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
TMC protest against farm bill in front of Gandhi statue mayo road in Kolkata. Express Photo by Partha Paul
The "Punjab bandh" call is getting support from government employees' unions, singers, commission agents, labourers and social activists. Shops, commercial establishments and vegetable markets at many places remained shut. Shopkeepers have been appealed to keep their shops shut in support of farmers. Farmers on Thursday had started a three-day ?rail rook? stir against the Bills and squatted on tracks in parts of the state. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had said the state government was with them in fight against the Bills and no FIR will be registered for the violation of Section 144 of the CrPC, which bars assembly of more than four people at a place. As many as 31 farmers' organisations came together for a complete shutdown of the state.
Farmers protest continue in Rohtak
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala today termed the farm Bills as a "disgusting conspiracy" against the farmers of the country, and described the legislations as "black laws". "The Modi government through three black laws has launched a brutal attack on farmers, farm labourers and their livelihoods," Surjewala told reporters. The Congress leader said the country has been attacked by the coronavirus, and by China on the border while "Modi ji has targeted the barns in India". "Today, farmers and farm labourers have called for a Bharat Bandh across the country and under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, the Congress Party stands firm with them," he added.
Peaceful protests were held at a few places in Himachal Pradesh but there were no reports of disruption of normal life or closure of any public services. The Himachal Kisan Sabha held protests in Shimla and some other places to demand a rollback of the three contentious laws. Kuldeep Singh Tanwar, state president of the organisation, said that prices of vegetables and other crops produced in the state may suffer if the new laws are implemented. “Last year, garlic produced in Himachal was bought for Rs 6-33 and then sold for as much as Rs 150 in some other states,” he said, while addressing a dharna outside the DC office in Shimla. HP Congress committee submitted a memorandum against the laws to the Governor. “The country's farmers are worried today, and Congress is worried about the country,” Congress state in-charge Rajeev Shukla said.
Farmers from National South Indian River Interlinking Farmers’ Association sit outside Collector's office in Trichy protested with with human skulls, chained hands and nooses around their necks today.
A teacher, Davinder Singh Nagi, makes posters for farmers at along NH-1 in Ludhiana on Friday. (Express photo/Gurmeet Singh)
BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Thursday slammed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for opposing farm Bills, which were passed in Parliament on Sunday, and alleged that TMC leaders will lose Rs 900 crore as commission from farmers. Speaking to reporters during a news conference in Asansol, Vijayvargiya said, “In West Bengal, farmers do not sell their produce to kisan mandi (farmers’ wholesale market) directly. They sell their produce through middlemen who are affiliated to TMC. Now, with the passage of the farm Bills, TMC’s earning to the tune of Rs 900 crore will come to halt. That is why Mamata Banerjee and her party leaders are protesting against these Bills, as farmers will no longer pay the middlemen and there is no scope for any cut money (illegal commission) for her party members.” Click here to read more.
Farmers' protest underway in Rohtak district.
As many as 150-200 farmers arrived at the Noida Gate in Sector 14A near Chilla, at the UP-Delhi border, where they were stopped by the Gautam Buddh Nagar police around 12 noon, PTI reported. "Police personnel have been deployed at the Noida Gate to check the movement of protesters. The situation is under control. We are talking to the farmers and ensuring no law and order situation arises," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Noida, Rajesh S told the news agency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hit out at opposition leaders over their protests against the farm Bills, and said that those who always "lied" to farmers are now "shooting from their shoulders" and misleading them for their own political benefit. "They are spreading rumours. Saving farmers from such rumours and explaining the importance of the agriculture reforms is the responsibility and duty of all BJP workers because we have to make the future of farmers bright," Modi said during an address to BJP workers on the occasion of the birth anniversary of party's ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay.
Farmers chant slogans against the Centre over the farm Bills, while protesting on rail tracks, in Mansa on Friday.
Despite a call for a statewide shutdown, BJP-dominated Pathankot decided to stay away from the protests today.
A farmers' union affiliated to the Left parties stage a protest in Hyderabad on Friday. (Express photo/Rahul Pisharody)
Farmers in Karnataka also protested against the 'anti-farmer' policies of the central and state governments today. A large number of ryots from various parts of the state arrived at the capital to take part in the demonstrations and register their protest against the amendments to the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act and the Karnataka Land Reforms Act. A group of farmers also blocked the busy Tumakuru road near Yashwantpur in the city. The farmers were later taken away by the cops in buses.
Farmers at NH1 Toll plaza at Ladowal in Ludhiana on Friday. (Express photo/Gurmeet Singh)
Delhi Police personnel have been deployed in Chilla area near Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in the wake of the ongoing protests. "Our personnel have been deployed in Delhi-Uttar Pradesh picket borders as a precautionary measure in the wake of a protest call given by farmers in neighbouring states," a senior police officer was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Police deployed at Delhi-Haryana border have also been alerted, the officer added.
Speaking against the farm Bills, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted: "The MSPs have been taken away from the farmers. They will be forced to become slaves through contract farming. Farmers will neither get the price nor the honor. They will become a labourer in their own land."
With the Opposition SAD raising the stakes with the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Union Cabinet over the Centre’s Farm Bills amid protests by farmers, Congress-ruled Punjab is “seriously contemplating” a move to amend its APMC Act and declare the entire state as a Principal Mandi Yard, The Indian Express has learnt. Sources said the government, which is under “tremendous political pressure”, believes that doing so will circumvent provisions in The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, which was passed in Parliament. The declaration of mandi yards ensures that any procurement outside their ambit is considered illegal, farmers do not get a price less than the MSP, and the state gets its mandi fee. Sources said the government is yet to take a final decision after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh sought legal opinion on the issue and was briefed by Advocate General Atul Nanda Thursday evening.
Police barricades at NH-1 toll plaza, at Ladowal in Ludhiana on Friday. (Express photo/Gurmeet Singh)
In a fresh attack at the Centre over the contentious farm Bills, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today tweeted: "A flawed GST destroyed MSMEs. The new agriculture laws will enslave our farmers."
A farmers group along the Faridkot-Kotkapura highway. (Express photo/Raakhi Jagga)
The Chandigarh Police are on high alert in view of the bandh called by farmers, and reports that agitating farmers are likely to try to enter Chandigarh. Police presence was increased at all border nakas for round the clock since Thursday evening. The SHOs and SDPOs of the concerned divisions, especially of areas sharing boundaries with Punjab and Haryana, were instructed to stay alert, to prevent any untoward incident. Instructions were issued for not allowing the entry of any tractor-trolley laden with farmers in Chandigarh. Additional police force from the IRB and police lines, along with the personnel from police stations and police posts were deputed on the outer nakas across Chandigarh.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav drove a tractor during the farmers' protest today.
Supporting the bandh call against three farm Bills, farmer groups in Haryana have urged residents to observe a bandh from 10 am to 4 pm on Friday. However, the National Highways have been exempted from the bandh call. Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Gurnam Singh Chaduni urged arhtiyas (commission agents at mandis) and traders to close their shops on Friday. “There is a warm response to our stir in Haryana… There should be complete chakka jam on Friday. People’s support is must for the same. There should be no vehicles on roads during the bandh call,” claimed Chaduni. He gave a call to farmers to sit on roads except the National Highways during bandh period but asked them to restrain from any type of violence. Meanwhile, in view of the Bharat Bandh call by farmer groups against recent legislations, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij Thursday held a meeting with senior officers of Home and Police Department to review the entire situation in the state.
As a precautionary measure, cops have also been deployed in Chilla area near the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border point.
Farmers, under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union and Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI), block the Amritsar-Delhi national highway near Phillaur in Jalandhar on Friday.
Markets in Mansa district of Punjab wore a deserted look ahead of the farmers' agitiation on Friday. (Express photo/Raakhi Jagga)
Farmers in Punjab and Haryana will go on a day-long strike today in protest against the farm Bills. As many as 31 farmer organisations have also announced an indefinite ‘rail roko’ agitation from October 1. In Punjab, various unions have started a three-day ‘rail roko’ protest against Centre’s farm Bills at six different locations in the state with 1,000 to 1,500 farmers sitting on the tracks at each protest site. The Railways partially cancelled 20 trains and short-terminated five trains till September 26 as protesters blocked rail tracks at various places, including Amritsar, Ferozepur, Sangrur, Barnala, Mansa and Nabha. The ‘rail roko’ started at about 1 pm on Thursday, will continue till 1 pm on Saturday, said Satnam Singh Pannu, president of Kisan Mazdoor Sangh Committee.
After holding separate protests, the Bharatiya Kisan Union and several other organizations on Friday will hold nationwide demonstration and “chakkajam” against three contentious farm legislations -- The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill -- which were passed by Parliament earlier this week. Follow our blog for all the latest updates.