Chandigarh:

Punjab farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Saturday that they have not received any message from the Centre for talks to address their issues and said a group of 101 farmers will again begin their march to Delhi on December 8.

On Friday, protesting farmers suspended their foot march to the national capital for the day after some of them suffered injuries due to tear gas shells fired by security personnel, who stopped them at the Punjab-Haryana border. The farmers have been pressing for various demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Addressing the media at Shambhu on the Punjab-Haryana border on Saturday, Mr Pandher said 16 farmers suffered injuries and one of them lost hearing ability because of the teargas shelling by Haryana security personnel.

Except four injured farmers, the rest of them have been discharged from hospital, he said, adding, “We have not received any message from the Centre for holding talks. The (Narendra) Modi government is in no mood to hold talks.” He further said the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have already decided that a ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers will again march towards the national capital on Sunday noon in a peaceful manner.

As part of a call given by the farmer unions SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, a ‘jatha’ of 101 farmers began its march to Delhi on Friday from their protest site at the Shambhu border to press for their demands.

The ‘jatha’ was stopped by multilayered barricading erected by Haryana security personnel. Undeterred by prohibitory orders, the farmers attempted to force their way through the barricades but were stopped by security personnel who lobbed multiple tear gas shells to force them to go back to their protest site at Shambhu, which falls in Punjab.

On the action by security personnel against protesting farmers, Mr Pandher said the BJP government at the Centre has been “exposed”.

“What did they do yesterday? People are angry with this action. People are asking the BJP since the farmers were not taking tractor-trolleys along with them then why they were not allowed to move ahead,” Mr Pandher posed.

Another farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal continued with his fast unto death at the Khanauri border. Farmers claimed that Dallewal lost eight-kilogramme weight.

Mr Pandher on Friday said they appealed to the government to either hold a dialogue with the protesting farmers or “allow us to move to Delhi”. However, the Haryana Police had said the protesting farmers created a ruckus and also made their best efforts to demolish police barricades set up at the Haryana side of the border.

Shortly before the farmers’ march, the Haryana government on Friday suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS service in 11 villages of the Ambala district till December 9.

The protesting farmers had earlier attempted to march towards Delhi on February 13 and February 21 but were stopped by security forces deployed at the border points.

Besides MSP, the farmers are also demanding a farm debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases (against farmers), and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of farmers who died during the previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Congress on Friday called on the Bharatiya Janata Party to respond proactively to protesting farmers’ demands about a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price, or MSP, and warned the government, “Do not allow the farmers of this country to face a situation like Manipur”.

The opposition party also slammed the government for taking the time out to watch a movie – on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, members of his cabinet, and MPs attended a screening of ‘The Sabarmati Report‘, a movie about the 2002 train-burning incident in Gujarat’s Godhra.

“The Modi government has time to watch movies but does not have time to listen to demands of farmers. Prime Minister Modi should talk to the farmers without delay and immediately pass a law on MSP… this is the demand of the Congress,” party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

“The Congress party is with the farmers,” Mr Surjewala said, also taking the opportunity to throw a jab over the extent of security deployed to stop the farmers and the India-China border crisis

“If the three-layer security which has been put in place for the farmers in Haryana had been put in place on the Chinese border, then China would not have occupied the Indian border,” he said.

The reference to, and warning about, Manipur was stark. Nearly 300 people have been killed since ethnic violence broke out between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur in May 2023.

The Congress and other opposition parties have been fiercely critical of the handling of the crisis by BJP, which is also in power in Manipur, and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue.

The BJP has not yet responded to this round of attacks by the Congress.

The Manipur warning came on a day when a group of 101 farmers began a ‘Dilli chalo’ march to press home a list of nearly five-year-old demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP.

READ | 8 Farmers Injured In Tear Gas Shelling, Protest March Over MSP Halted

The march, from Shambhu on the Haryana-Punjab border, began at 1 pm but ran immediately into fortified, multi-layered police barricades across National Highway 44.

In the clashes that followed, police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. Eight people were injured, and two others seriously wounded, according to farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher.

Visuals shared by news agency IANS showed chaotic scenes at a police barricade across National Highway 44. In the 73-second video white tear gas smoke enveloped protesting farmers.

Ambala, Haryana: Police fired tear gas shells at the protesters pic.twitter.com/3sCa9haqT5

— IANS (@ians_india) December 6, 2024

As the video pans out, rolls of barbed wire can also be seen and the gassed farmers are seen pulling back. An elderly farmer, affected by the tear gas, is attended to by fellow-protesters.

Beaten back for the day, the farmers said they would not admit defeat but would give the government 24 hours to reach out to them with a proposition to address their concerns.

The farmers – lakhs of whom have been protesting since September 2020, when the Modi government passed three farm law that were severely criticised and later rolled back – also lamented the action taken against them. “Modiji cannot justify the actions against us. We are deeply hurt.”

“If our protest is allowed inside Delhi… I will ask, ‘Why are we treated as enemies?’ Punjabis and Haryanvis saved the country from hunger,” Pandher said.

Shortly before the march began, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told Parliament the Narendra Modi government is committed to purchasing farmers’ produce at MSP.

“I want to assure the House… all produce of farmers will be purchased at Minimum Support Price. This is the Modi government and (we will) fulfil Modiji‘s guarantee,” Mr Chouhan said, also taking the opportunity for a dig at the Congress, referring to his “friends from the other side”.

“…they said, on record, they cannot accept the MS Swaminathan Commission recommendations… especially on paying 50 per cent more than cost price,” he said, declaring the government is already buying paddy, wheat, jowar, soyabean at 50 per cent over cost of production from three years ago.

Today’s protest was meant to press home farmers’ longstanding demands for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price, waiver of farm loans, and protection from increased electricity tariffs.

NDTV Explains | Centre’s 5-Year MSP Plan, And Why Farmers Are Not Convinced

The demand for legal backing for MSPs – which refers to a priced fixed by the government to protect farmers from a steep fall in crop prices; for example, during a bumper crop when prices plummet – a has been a core ask of protests that began in September 2020.

MSPs, however, have no legal backing, meaning the government is not obliged to buy, for example, 10 per cent of a farmer’s paddy crop at the floor price. And it is this that the farmers want changed.

With input from agencies

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Chandigarh (Punjab):

Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu on Saturday blamed the Punjab government led by the Aam Aadmi Party for the farmers’ protests in the state and demanded the resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Speaking to ANI, the BJP leader called Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leader Raghav Chadha the enemies of the people of Punjab.

“This problem has been intentionally created by the AAP government (of Punjab). This problem is neither from the side of farmers nor from the central government… Rs 44,000 crore has already been released by the central government (for Punjab) two months back to procure crops on the MSP (minimum support price). People who are enemies of Punjab – like Arvind Kejriwal and Raghav Chadha – have a hold there and they are not passing orders to Inspectors to procure crops,” Bittu told ANI in Chandigarh.

“Tomorrow, we will meet the governor. If the Chief Minister (Bhagwant Mann) resigns, this issue can be solved in two days,” he added.

Earlier today, farmers in Punjab said that their protests against the government to press for multiple demands, including timely paddy procurement, will continue and a road blockade will be organised in Sangrur, Bhatinda, Moga, Batala, and Gurdaspur in the State.

The farmers have also been protesting against police actions against farmers for stubble burning.

Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (PKMSC) District President Aranjeet Singh said they will gather in Phagwada over the issues concerning farmers of the state.

“Both the Punjab government and the central government should find a solution and resolve the issue timely so that the people do not face any problems because of the road blockade (chakka jam). We don’t want common people to face any problems. However, if the government is unable to decide anything, we will be forced to block the roads,” Mr Singh said.

Meanwhile, farmers from Punjab’s Jalandhar joined other protestors and were seen moving towards the Phagwara protest site to block the highway this morning.

On the action taken against farmers over stubble burning, a senior farm leader said that the pollution emitted by factories and vehicles on roads is not even mentioned, but the stubble burning issue is often highlighted.

“They have taken action (against farmers) in the name of stubble burning. The pollution is not only because of stubble burning. It also happens due to many vehicles on roads, due to factories. Stubble burning only contributes two to three per cent to pollution levels. The pollution emitted by factories and other things is not even mentioned. Stubble burning is just an excuse to defame the farmers, which is unfair. The Punjab government and the central government are alike. They just want to destroy farmers. This is why the protests will go on indefinitely. We will go to Phagwada from Amritsar and block the roads,” the farm leader said.

The roadblocks will be organised at four places including Sangrur, Moga, Phagwara, and Batla.

Surjeet Singh Phul, president of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Krantikari) Punjabi said that the blockade will continue indefinitely if the demands are not met.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Dismissing the Haryana government’s contention that a judicial probe into the death of a farmer during protests in February would demoralise the police, the Supreme Court on Friday said that it could end up strengthening their hands instead. 

Farmers had begun a march to Delhi on February 13 to press for their demands, including a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops, but were stopped at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Haryana and Punjab, where they started camping after that. On February 21, the farmers clashed with the police and 21-year-old Shubhkaran Singh died,

His family approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, alleging that he had died on being hit by a bullet fired by the Haryana police. 

Noting that the investigation could not be handed over to the Punjab or Haryana governments, a high court bench, led by Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia, had formed a three-member committee to probe the death. It said that the panel would be headed by Justice Jaishree Thakur, Retired Judge of Punjab & Haryana High Court and assisted by the additional directors general of police (ADGPs) of Punjab and Haryana.

The Haryana government challenged the high court’s order in the Supreme Court and, during a hearing on Friday, pointed out that one of the aspects that the committee was tasked with investigating was whether lesser force could have been used. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Haryana, told a bench of justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, that this could lower the morale of the police.  

“This can never be a subject matter of judicial inquiry, it demoralises the police,” he told the bench. 

Responding that sometimes such inquiries end up strengthening the hands of the police, the bench told Mr Mehta that the committee would only give an opinion and a final determination would be made by the court. 

“Let us see what the committee will say, then we will determine. The committee will only give its opinion, the determination will either by the High Court or the Supreme Court,” Justice Kant said. 

Justice Bhuyan also pointed to the Lakhimpur Kheri case – where eight protesters against the three farm laws, were mowed down, allegedly by the son of a Union minister – and said the inquiry into that was also monitored by a high court judge. 

The court ruled that the committee would continue to probe the death and adjourned the matter for further hearing on August 22. 

A file photo of Bharatiya Kisan Sangha national general secretary Mohini Mohan Mishra.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) — a farmers’ body affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) — has condemned the violent protests by some farm unions who are demanding guaranteed minimum support prices (MSP), but it also rebuked the BJP-led Union government for not paying heed to the farmers’ pleas. The BKS warned the government that its nationalism, discipline, and preference for dialogue should not be mistaken as signs of weakness.

“When farmer organisations of the country come to Delhi in a disciplined and peaceful manner and present the problems and demands of the farmers to the right forums, the government does not consider it appropriate to talk to them. The attitude of the government is regrettable, which is why the possibility of violent agitation increases,” BKS general secretary Mohini Mohan Mishra told journalists on Saturday.

He added that the ‘politicisation’ of the farming community and their demands is adding to their woes.

‘Governments least concerned about farmers’

The BKS statement comes against the backdrop of the thousands of farmers gathered at the Punjab and Haryana border, attempting to enter Delhi with their demands for a legal guarantee of MSPs for their produce. The agitation that started earlier has been marred by multiple deaths at protest sites allegedly caused by the actions of the police, who have used pellet guns, tear gas shells and lathis in clashes with the protesting farmers.

Editorial |Farming consensus: On the government and the farmers on protest 

In December 2022, thousands of farmers under the aegis of the BKS had raised a demand for MSPs among others from Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. Announcing that non-violence was their choice but not a compulsion, they warned that the government would face trouble if their demands were not met. At a gathering of farmers from 560 districts of the country, the BKS declared that it was now evident that the governments, both at the States and the Centre, are least concerned for farmers.

Remunerative prices needed

Speaking about the resolutions passed after a two day annual meeting of BKS office bearers in Ajmer, Mr. Mishra said that farmers should get remunerative prices on the basis of their input costs, adding that GST on agricultural inputs should be abolished.

“We demand that there should be a substantial increase in the Kisan Samman Nidhi given by the government. Also, genetically modified (GM) seeds should not be allowed in market,” Mr. Mishra said, adding that seeds are the right of farmers and governments should make arrangements to stop the exploitation of farmers in the marketplace. The BKS resolutions also called for a comprehensive policy for the marketing of grains.

The BKS statements on farmers demands for guaranteed MSPs, however, run contrary to the tone of an editorial in the Organiser, an English mouthpiece of the RSS, the BKS’ parent body. The editorial had claimed that massive mobilisation and blockade of roads is being done by farmers with “unreasonable” demands, such as legal guarantees for MSPs for all crops, loan waivers, and pensions for all farmers.

New Delhi:

Farmer leaders on Friday announced that the future course of action regarding their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march will be decided on February 29. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), spearheading the protests, outlined a list of activities planned for the next week. Until then, the farmers are determined to hold their ground at two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border – Shambhu and Khanauri.

A candle march is scheduled for today, followed by seminars on farmer-related issues tomorrow. On February 26, the protestors intend to burn effigies of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and ministers. In addition, several meetings of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha forums are slated for the subsequent two days.

The demands put forth by the protesting farmers, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP), the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, and a farm loan waiver, remain at the core of the agitation. 

A protester died and a dozen police personnel were injured during clashes at Khanauri on Wednesday, prompting the farmers to defer their march for two days. Shubhkaran Singh, a 21-year-old native of Bathinda, died in the clash. The farmer leaders expressed their grievances with the Punjab government regarding the registration of an FIR in Mr Singh’s death and insisted that the cremation would not proceed until their demands were met.

The situation escalated as the farmers criticised the Punjab Police for hesitating to file an FIR against security personnel from Haryana, whom the protestors held responsible for Mr Singh’s death. The farmers are demanding not only justice but also ‘martyr’ status for Mr Singh.

In response, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job for Mr Singh’s sister. However, this move failed to appease the protestors, as they insisted on the registration of an FIR against those responsible for the young farmer’s death.

The farmer leaders also announced the death of another protesting farmer, 62-year-old Darshan Singh from Amargarh village in Bathinda, who died of a heart attack at the Khanauri border, marking the fourth casualty during the ongoing protests.

Finance Minister’s Promise

Amidst these developments, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday that the Centre has formed a three-member committee of ministers to engage in negotiations with the farmers. Ms Sitharaman insisted that the government is committed to farmers’ welfare and highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continuous efforts in this regard.

“I can provide a series of lists of all that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done for the farmers. From increasing their income to assisting with the smallest of expenses, PM Modi has taken every step for the welfare of the farmers. He works for even the small farmers,” Ms Sitharaman said.

Resolution Through Dialogue

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said there is a need for a resolution through dialogue.

Mr Tikait, a prominent figure in the farmers’ movement, highlighted the integral role played by those living in forest areas in protecting the environment. 

“People living in the forests protect the environment. From Bihar to Andhra Pradesh, which is a forest area, Adivasis worship the ‘Jungle’. No army and farmers are standing face to face. We have people in the army also who comes from a farming background. There should be a solution through dialogue. Continuous talks are going on with the Centre,” he said.
 

Chandigarh:

Farmer leaders on Friday said they will decide their next course of action on their ‘Delhi Chalo’ call on February 29, and announced a candle march on Saturday and burning of Centre’s effigies two days later.

A decision to this effect was taken on Friday evening by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), which are spearheading the ongoing agitation at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Haryana and Punjab over various demands including a legal guarantee for MSP.

“The next announcement about the agitation will be made on February 29,” KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told the media at the Khanauri border point.

He also announced they will hold a candle march on February 24 and will burn the effigies of the Centre on February 26.

Farmers leaders had Wednesday put the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on hold for two days after a protester was killed and about 12 police personnel were injured in clashes at Khanauri.

The incident took place when some protesting farmers were trying to head towards barricades.

Thousands of farmers have stayed put at Khanauri and Shambhu with their tractor-trolleys and trucks agitating for their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm debt waiver.

The Punjab farmers are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Farmers protesting at two border points between Punjab and Haryana will resume their “Delhi Chalo” march today after they rejected the Centre’s proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years.

Thousands of farmers, who began their march to Delhi on February 13, were stopped at the Haryana border, where they clashed with security personnel. The farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri points between Punjab and Haryana since then.

Here are the LIVE updates on the farmers’ protests:

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