Meanwhile, days after notices were sent by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in UP's Sambhal asking farm leaders to submit personal bonds of Rs 50 lakh each to prevent them from “inciting” farmers to join the protests against the Centre's new laws, police Thursday claimed the amount was “a clerical error” and will be reduced. But leaders said the notice itself is a means to “throttle democratic protest”. The notices for Rs 50 lakh each were sent to six leaders in Sambhal, mainly office-bearers of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Asli).
The apex court was hearing a batch of petitions seeking the removal of farmers protesting at the borders of Delhi. The court said it recognises the fundamental right to protest against a law, but, at the same time, that cannot affect other fundamental rights or right to life of others, reported Live Law. "We recognise that the farmers have a right to protest. But we are on the mode of protesting. We will ask the Union what can be done to alter the nature of protesting which will ensure that rights of others are not affected," the court said.
Another farmer from Punjab was found dead near the Tikri border near Delhi on Thursday morning, PTI quoted a police official as saying. Around 20 farmers, many of them are from Punjab, have so far died either of natural causes or in road accidents, the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) leader said.
As the farmers' protests against the three new farm laws at the Delhi border enters Day 22, the standoff between the protesting farmers and the government seems headed towards a Shaheen Bagh-like gridlock. The three weeks of farmers' stir has got the ruling BJP to plan public meetings across the country. Taking a leaf from its CAA playbook, the party is getting its senior ministers and leaders to hold meetings with 'pro-farm laws farmers' groups to signal that the demand for repeal of the laws does not reflect a national farmer sentiment.
Meanwhile, more than 20 people have died in past three week duration of the stir, say the protesters. The deceased, many of whom are from Punjab, died either of natural causes ostensibly aggravated by the harsh weather, or in road accidents, the protesters say. Farmer organisations at Singhu and Tikri say they are now preparing lists of these persons to help their families and will press for compensation. Meanwhile, family members of farmers who died by suicide in Punjab over the years joined the ongoing protest at Delhi’s Tikri border Wednesday, with a few widows and mothers of the deceased farmers saying that they intend to remain at the site for the duration of the protest.
In other news, a Sikh priest from a gurdwara in Karnal district of Haryana, identified as Sant Baba Ram Singh (65), reportedly shot himself at Kundli, near the Singhu border where farmers have been protesting for the past 20 days, on Wednesday.
In a purported suicide note, Singh, also known as Nanaksar Singhra Wale, said he was pained by the plight of farmers.
While Singh is reported to have shot himself with his licensed revolver, Kundli police station SHO Ravi Kumar said they were yet to ascertain the weapon used. “His associates have given a statement to the police that he died by suicide. Our probe is on,” he said.
The traffic on Jaipur-Delhi national highway remained partially affected for the sixth consecutive day on Friday due to the farmers' agitation near the Rajasthan-Haryana border.
Despite intense cold conditions, the farmers have been staying put in Shahjahapr near the border since Sunday, protesting against the three agri laws introduced by the Centre.
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One side of the highway, from Jaipur to Delhi, is closed whereas the other side, from Delhi to Jaipur, is open for traffic. (PTI)
Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker joined the farmers’ protest at Singhu border on Thursday. Bhasker shared on Twitter, “A humbling day, to see the grit, resolve and determination of protesting farmers and the elderly at #SinghuBorder #FarmersProtests.”
In an interview with NDTV, Swara said that she was not there to give a message but to learn more about the protest. “I am here in solidarity. I am not from a farmer’s family. I am not a farmer, but I have a relationship with farmers because I have a relationship with roti,” she said. More details here.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar Friday said that the government is hopeful of resolving farmers’ agitation against three new farm laws before the new year and is continuing its informal dialogue with various groups to diffuse the crisis.
In an interview with PTI, Tomar asserted that the three new farm laws are beneficial for farmers and the government is ready to give a written assurance that the minimum support price (MSP) and mandi system will continue.
"We have constantly been holding discussions with farmers' unions... Overall, our effort is to reach a solution through dialogue with them. We are still open for talks. We are holding discussions with unions. I hope through dialogue we can move towards reaching a solution," Tomar said while replying to a query about the stalemate and way forward.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Friday asked the central government to focus on resolving its standoff with farmers over three farm laws and keep other issues on hold. Gehlot also claimed that be it the judiciary or bureaucracy, all are functioning under pressure from the Centre.
Addressing farmers in Madhya Pradesh through video conferencing at a state-level Kisan Sammelan (farmers’ conference), organised in Raisen district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the opposition has always used the farmers for their vote-bank politics. “People should seek replies from political parties who talked about agricultural reforms in their manifestos,” he added. More details here.
Cremation of Baba Ram Singh at Singhra gurdwara.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Opposition used farmers for its vote-bank politics and is now upset that the his government brought the farm laws. He said the legislations were not brought overnight. "There were demands for the reforms for many years. The previous governments had made promises to the farmers but never delivered. They are upset because what they had only talked about, Modi has done that," he said addressing the farmers in Madhya Pradesh through video conferencing at a state-level Kisan Sammelan (farmers' conference), organised in Raisen district.
PM Modi said a total amount of Rs 16 thousand crores are being transferred into the bank accounts of 35 lakhs farmers of Madhya Pradesh. "Today, several farmers have been given Kisan Credit Card. Earlier, they were not available to all farmers. But we changed rules to make Kisan Credit Card available to all farmers across the country," he added. Read more
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address farmers in Madhya Pradesh through video conferencing at a Kisan Sammelan (farmers' conference).
The DMK-led opposition in Tamil Nadu on Friday started a day-long hunger strike in support of farmers protesting against the three new farm laws passed by the central government, reported news agency PTI. On Friday, DMK chief and Leader of Opposition, M K Stalin, party MP Kanimozhi and leaders of alliance parties participated in the protest in Chennai.
Days after notices were sent by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in UP's Sambhal asking farm leaders to submit personal bonds of Rs 50 lakh each to prevent them from “inciting” farmers to join the protests against the Centre's new laws, police Thursday claimed the amount was “a clerical error” and will be reduced. But leaders said the notice itself is a means to “throttle democratic protest”.
The notices for Rs 50 lakh each were sent to six leaders in Sambhal, mainly office-bearers of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Asli).
Similar notices seeking bonds of Rs 5 lakh each were sent to six others. They were issued on December 12 and 13 under section 111 of the CrPC, which authorises the magistrate to send a show-cause notice under a bond.
It was a few nights ago that the idea of a newsletter in Hindi and Punjabi was born inside a farmer’s trolley at Singhu border, where thousands have been protesting against the farm laws since November 26. Finally, on Thursday night, at least 2,000 copies of the four-page newsletter — aptly called Trolley Times — reached Singhu and Tikri borders, for circulation Friday.
“Judaange, Ladaange, Jeetange!” is the page-one headline of the first issue of the bi-weekly newsletter, which has photographs, cartoons, poems, news reports and opinion pieces written by union leaders and protesting farmers. Of the four pages, one is in Hindi.
“I’ve been here from day one, and noticed that the morcha at Tikri and Singhu borders are spread across several kilometres. Not everyone shows up to listen to the speakers on stage daily, they ask each other what transpired... Through the newsletter, the message from the stage, the development in talks with the government, among other such reports, can easily reach farmers,” said scriptwriter Surmeet Maavi (46), who started Trolley Times with Barnala-based documentary photographer Gurdeep Singh Dhaliwal (27).
With farmer unions rejecting the concessions he proposed to end their opposition to the new farm laws, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar Thursday slammed the Opposition parties and others for backing the protests to make “innocent farmers… puppets of their politics”.
In an open letter to farmers protesting at the gates of Delhi, Tomar said those stopping trains carrying supplies to soldiers at the borders, especially at a time when the situation in Ladakh is “challenging”, cannot be farmers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak about the "beneficial provisions" of the new farm laws during his virtual address to the farmers of Madhya Pradesh on Friday as part of a state-level programme, a senior official said.
An official of the Madhya Pradesh Public Relations Department on Thursday said the PM would address the farmers in the state around 2 pm.
The MP government has organised a state-level 'Kisan Kalyan' event in Raisen district, wherein Chief Minister Shivraj Singh will transfer the relief amount of Rs 1,600 crore into the bank accounts of nearly 35.50 lakh farmers for the damaged kharif crops, the official said. (PTI)
Former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Thursday accused Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal of indulging in "cheap theatrics" by tearing copies of the farm laws. She said his government in Delhi was among the first to notify one of the central laws related to agriculture.
In a statement, Badal said the Delhi CM was known as a "dramebaaz" but this time he indulged in "cheap theatrics" and "unparalleled hypocrisy" by tearing the same laws in the Vidhan Sabha, one of which he had notified on November 23.
"The Delhi chief minister is only shedding crocodile tears in a desperate bid to wipe away the blot he has put on his name by rushing to notify the farm laws on the directions of the central government. These dramas however won't help.
"Farmers know that Kejriwal and AAP have never supported their struggle and Kejriwal has always danced to the tune of the central government," she alleged. (PTI)
Bharatiya Kisan Union president Naresh Tikait said farmers did not want conflict during the protest against the new farm laws and the issue should be resolved through dialogue.
Tikait said the Centre should repeal the farm laws in public interest, adding that the contentious legislations were not in favour of the farmers.
Addressing the media in Muzaffarnagar before his departure to Delhi, Tikait suggested that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, BJP veteran L K Advani and RLD leader Ajit Singh should be part of the dialogue to resolve the issue. (PTI)
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in a letter addressed to farmers reiterates that the government is ready to give a written assurance regarding the MSP. He also said some vested groups are trying to create confusion in the minds of the farmers.
As farmers intensify their protest seeking repeal of three farm laws, the government on Thursday issued an e-booklet highlighting the success stories of farmers who have benefited from contract farming after enactment of these legislations.
In the 100-page e-booklet 'Putting Farmers First', the government said it has made clear the "truth" about the farm reforms and has mentioned "what will happen" and "what will not happen" for farmers. It also asserted that reforms in the farm sector were undertaken step by step in the last six years keeping in mind the needs of farmers.
The government asserted that the three farm laws were enacted in September after "two decades of consultations." (PTI)
Another group of farmers reached Noida on Thursday and attempted to move to Delhi to join the bigger stir against the new central farm laws but were prohibited by police deployed in a large number near the Chilla border.
Scores of members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ambavat) faction were stopped near Mahamaya flyover on the Noida-Delhi Link Road, with the development obstructing traffic movement on the key route, according to police officials.
Meanwhile, protestors from various districts of western Uttar Pradesh and chiefly belonging to the BKU (Bhanu) and the BKU (Lok Shakti) stayed put at the Chilla border and the Dalit Prerna Sthal, respectively.
Scores of BKU (Lok Shakti) members paid tribute to a 65-year-old Sikh preacher supporting the farmers' agitation who allegedly committed suicide near the Singhu border on Wednesday. (PTI)
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel Thursday claimed that very few farmers were agitating against the Centre's new agri laws, adding that the protests were a conspiracy to malign Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image.
"Except in Delhi, there are no protests anywhere in the country. No one is agitating in Gujarat. Some 50,000 persons from a population of 130 crore want the government to scrap the laws which are passed by Parliament.
"What is the meaning of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha if we have to follow orders of 50,000 persons," PTI quoted Patel as saying.
"Anti-nationals, leftists, Khalistanis, pro-China elements and members of Tukde-Tukde gang have infiltrated the protests and pumping in money to keep the farmers at protest venues," the BJP leader alleged.
"Not even one per cent (of farmers) are against these laws. The Congress is trying hard to incite people but not getting any support.
"Some elements, not farmers, are behind this agitation, which is actually a conspiracy. These elements want to malign PM Modi's image and want to present a distorted picture about India to the world," he said. (PTI)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs burn the copies of the Centre's three new farm laws outside the Delhi Assembly on Thursday to show support to the farmers protesting near the borders of Delhi.
Gazipur border is closed for traffic coming from Ghaziabad to Delhi due to farmers' protests. People are advised to take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Apsara & Bhopra borders: Delhi Traffic Police
National Coordinator of Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh K V Biju has said the farm unions would consult with senior Supreme Court lawyers before taking a decision over the case in the apex court. The Supreme Court is currently hearing a clutch of petitions seeking removal of agitating farmers from the borders of Delhi, citing it is causing trouble to the citizens.
"We'll consult with four senior SC lawyers - Prashant Bhushan, Dushyant Dave, HS Phoolka and Colin Gonsalves," ANI quoted Biju as saying.
With the farmers' stir against the Centre's new farm laws continuing near Delhi borders, the NCP on Thursday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi convene a special session of Parliament to address the concerns of the agitating peasants.
NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase also called for bringing the PM CARES Fund under the ambit of public accountability, contending there is no explicit clarity about the entity.
"We are observing since the last 22 days that thousands of farmers are in the vicinity of Delhi and opposing the farm laws which were hurriedly passed (in Parliament) by the Modi government.
"The NCP demands that the Prime Minister convene a special session of Parliament, where the farmers' concerns and apprehensions are addressed," Tapase said. (PTI)
The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to entertain a plea seeking aid, security and treatment of the farmers protesting on the borders of the national capital, saying a similar issue was before the Supreme Court.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan also said that the high court's jurisdiction does not extend to areas outside the national capital territory and added that the same plea could have been filed in any of the high courts of Rajasthan, Punjab or Uttar Pradesh.
The bench also observed that the plea was filed without doing any research or preparation and dismissed it.
The petition by a lawyer, Ashish, had sought directions to the Centre and Delhi government to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the farmers protesting at the borders of the national capital. (PTI)
Haryana BKU president Gurnam Singh Chaduni at the gurdwara of Baba Ram Singh, who had committed suicide on Wednesday. Sant Baba Ram Singh (65), a Sikh priest from a gurdwara in Karnal district of Haryana, reportedly shot himself at Kundli, near the Singhu border where farmers have been protesting for the past 20 days, on Wednesday. In a purported suicide note, Singh, also known as Nanaksar Singhra Wale, said he was pained by the plight of farmers.
Sukhbir Badal, Harsmrat Kaur reach the gurdwara.
Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja reaches gurdwara.
Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot on Thursday tabled a resolution in the legislative assembly to repeal the Centre's three new farm laws. AAP MLA Mahendra Goyal and CM Kejriwal himself tore a copy of the farm laws during his speech in the assembly.
Many AAP leaders, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, had joined the farmers' day-long fast on Monday in protest against the farm laws. (PTI)
Speaking in the Delhi Assembly, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tore the copies of the new farm laws. "What was the hurry to get Farm Laws passed in Parliament during pandemic? It has happened for 1st time that 3 laws were passed without voting in Rajya Sabha...I hereby tear 3 Farm laws in this assembly and appeal Centre not to become worst than Britishers," ANI quoted him as saying.
Addressing a special session of Delhi Assembly called to discuss farmers' agitation, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "I want to ask Centre how many sacrifices farmers will have to make, to get their voices heard.
"Every farmer has become Bhagat Singh. The government is saying that they are reaching out to farmers & trying to explain the benefits of Farm Bills. UP CM told farmers that they'll benefit from these bills as their land won't be taken away. Is it a benefit?"
(ANI)
A salon owner provides free services to the protesting farmers at Singhu border.
The highway much travelled is now the road hardly taken and scores of dhabas along the Delhi-Punjab route that once buzzed with truckers, tourists and others say their earnings are down by up to 90 per cent -- done in by the coronavirus pandemic and now the 22-day farmers' protest.
Several dhaba owners along the route said their earnings have reduced drastically with thousands of farmers occupying a 10-12 km stretch of the highway, starting from the Singhu gateway out of the national capital, as they demand a repeal of the Centre's new farm laws.
"Do you see anyone here" The situation has been the same since November 26, when farmers arrived at the Singhu border," said Sanjay Kumar Singh, pointing to the vast expanse of his Rasoi Dhaba.
"We thought the farmers' protest would last two-three days. Now, we don't know how long it will continue. Our earnings have reduced by over 90 percent. It will be difficult to pay full salaries... I cannot even send my workers home," Singh said as his employees stand in a circle around him. (PTI)
The government is willing to sit with the farmers protesting against the Centre's new farm laws and sort out the issues, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and elsewhere have been protesting at various border points of Delhi, including Singhu and Tikri, for over a fortnight, demanding that the Centre repeal the three new farm laws.
"It pains me that many people who are sitting in protest probably are not aware of what they are protesting against... Government is still sending a message to all the farmers that please come and talk," Puri said at an online function of industry chamber HDCCI.
There were three demands -- MSP (minimum support price) should not be taken away, mandis should stay and nobody should in a clandestine manner usurp the farmers' land -- and all these have been granted, he added. (PTI)
The Supreme Court on Thursday suggested that the central government put the implementation of the new farm laws on hold, adding that it will enable negotiations with farmers. However, the Centre argued that if the enactment is put on hold, the farmers will not come forward for negotiations.
A 38-year-old farmer from Punjab was found dead at a protest site near the Tikri border on Thursday morning, police said. Jai Singh, a resident of Tungwali village in Bathinda district, and his brother had been part of the farmers' protest at the Haryana-Delhi border against the Centre's three farm laws for the last several days, according to Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) leader Shingara Singh. --PTI
"We are familiar with the plight of the farmers. We are Indians. We are sympathetic to the farmers. But we are on the manner of protests," CJI Bobde said. Refering to the farmers union, he said,"You have a right to protest which we are not going to interfere with. You carry on the protest. The purpose of protest must be served to talking to someone. You cannot sit in protest for years."
The Supreme Court says it is not possible for the court to determine the number of people who will gather at Delhi's Ram Leela Maidan. "We cannot ask others to determine it too. We leave it for the police, not the govt or the political parties but with police," CJI Bobde said.
Salve suggest that the court may pass an order directing the authorities and police to ensure that the life in city is not affected by the blockade, reported Live Law. CJI says that the court can pass such an order only after hearing the unions.
"Farmers have not blocked the roads. Farmers wanted to march to Delhi. Who has stopped them and blocked them? The police has blocked them. We see photos of barricades, containers," Live Law quoted P Chidambaram as saying.
Senior advocate P Chidambaram, who appears for State of Punjab, says "State has no objection to Court's suggestion that a group of people can facilitate a dialogue between farmers and Central Govt. But I have serious serious reservations with what Mr. Salve articulated on what can be done in a democracy. I hope your lordships will not go into those issues."
He said, "When massive number of people think that a law is unjust, there will be massive protests."
Salve also expressed concern over the crowding at protest sites that might highten Covid risk in NCR. "Today in Covid times if you are increasing the risk of putting my life in danger. You cannot extend this right (to protest) in doing so," he said.
Supreme Court, on hearing Salve's arguments on farmers' protests, said, "Nobody can have a quarrel with your arguments. We recognize that the farmers have a right to protest. But we are on the mode of protesting. We will ask the Union what can be done to alter the nature of protesting which will ensure that rights of others are not affected."
"We will not decide the validity of the laws today. The first and the only thing we will decide today is regarding the farmers protest and the fundamental right of citizens to move. The question of validity of laws can wait," says Chief Justice of India (CJI) S A Bobde.
The Supreme Court on Friday said its recognises the fundamental right to protest against a law, but at the same time that cannot affect other fundamental rights or right to life of others, reported Live Law. The apex court is hearing a batch of petitions seeking the removal of farmers protesting at the borders of Delhi. Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for one of the petitioners, argued, "No right is absolute. From right to protest to right to movement. The content of right to free speech, it includes the right to no but it cannot extend to right to privacy. Right to protest does not extend to deny others to exercise their rights." he added, "Fundamental right to protest cannot extend to holding a city to ransom."
Gujarat Agriculture Minister RC Faldu, while addressing farmers' sammela in Savarkundla, Amreli, said, "Thanks to agricultural reforms, gross value of agricultural produce in the state touched Rs1.73 lakh crore last year. It was merely a few thousands crore a few years ago."
The Supreme Court hears petitions challenging constitutionality of farm laws
SAD leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harsimrat Kaur reach gurdwara of Baba Ram Singh who died by suicide on Wednesday. (Express Photo)
BJP leader Babu Jebalia termed therotesters "tukde-tukde gang supporting Pakistan". "They are raising slogans of Khaliatan,not of Bharat Mata," he added.
"Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, who are anti-nationals, are participating in protests. Today Sharad Pawar and Badal are protesting but four months ago they were in Rajya Sabha and had raised their hands," said Kachhadiya.
"PM Narendra Modi can never think ill of farmers. We are confident and about this and have faith. There is nothing in this Acts which is against farmers. Why protests are happening four months after enactment of the laws?" Naran Kachhadiya, Amreli MP, said while speaking at farmers' sammelan in Gujarat's Savarkundla.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar termed the death of Sant Baba Ramsingh an irreparable loss for the saint society, country, state and him. "The death of Sant Baba Ramsingh ji is an irreparable loss for the saint society, country, state and me. This is a moment of great sorrow, the soul of Baba ji, merging in the divine. We are determined to walk the path of human welfare shown by him, this will be a true tribute to him."
"We've not received any notice from SC. When we get a notice, all farmers' unions will hold a discussion&take a decision: MS Rai, Bhartiya Kisan Union, Doaba SC has allowed impleadment of 8 farmer unions as respondents in petitions seeking removal of protestors from Delhi borders.
On Monday, some farmers’ unions met Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to express support for the three farm laws against which thousands of farmers are protesting at the borders of Delhi. Among those who met Tomar was Shetkari Sanghatana, the Maharashtra-based union that was founded by the legendary farm leader Sharad Joshi.
Joshi and his vision
Before he took up farmers’ issues, Joshi, an economist by training, worked for the United Nations in Switzerland. After returning to the country, he purchased land near the now-industrial belt of Chakan in Khed taluka of Pune district and became a full-time farmer. In 1979, he led a group of farmers to block the Pune-Nashik highway to press for higher prices for onion. The genesis of the Shetkari Sanghatana lies in this movement, which saw onion growers dumping their produce on the highway to underline their demand.
Joshi believed that unless the problems of Bharat (meaning rural India) were raised forcefully in India (a reference to cities and urban areas), farmers would never receive justice. His agitations were, therefore, invariably staged in the urban areas, and were calculated to impact urban life. Protesters often gathered on highways or railway tracks to press for better prices of sugarcane, or the removal of state monopoly in the procurement of cotton. Read our explainer here
Comparatively less spontaneous than the nationwide anti-CAA protests a year ago, the standoff between protesting farmers and the government over the three laws seems headed towards a Shaheen Bagh-like gridlock.
The government, which had initially dismissed the anti-CAA protests as orchestrated by its political opponents, was forced to counter it with its own public mobilisation.
Similarly, three weeks of farmers’ protests on the borders of the national capital has got the ruling BJP to plan public meetings across the country. It has taken a leaf from its CAA playbook with senior ministers and leaders holding meetings with “pro-farm laws farmers’ groups,” to signal that the demand for a repeal of the three laws doesn’t reflect a national farmer sentiment.
Not everyone at Singhu is there for the long haul. Even as thousands of farmers settle in at Delhi’s borders, there are hundreds of people from Delhi and nearby who are making one-day visits to be a part of — or just witness — the farm protest. While some say they want to see history in the making, others are more involved, sitting down and chanting slogans alongside farmers and participating in the seva at numerous langars before heading home in the evening.
Satpal Singh walks slowly across the main stage with his two-year-old grandson in his arms. He keeps pointing out the various stalls set up at the protest as the boy listens in rapt attention.
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