Farmers Protest Updates: Farmers’ interest always Modi government’s 'top priority' says JP Nadda as agitation enters 21st day

Framers’ body moves HC against Gehlot govt’s decision to exclude state’s two key crops from MSP ambit

The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday sought the stand of the state government on a plea challenging its decision to exclude two important crops of the state from the ambit of procurement on the minimum support price mechanism.

A Jodhpur bench of the high court issued notices to the Centre and state governments at a time when the farmers have been camping at Delhi borders in protest against the three central farm laws that, they fear, are aimed at eliminating the MSP mechanism.

A division bench of justices Sangeet Lodha and Rameshwar Vyas issued notices to both the central and state governments seeking their replies within two weeks and slated January 4 as the next day for hearing of the petition.

The notices were issued on a petition filed by Pali district’s Kissan Welfare Society which said the Gehlot government has dropped two important crops of the state cotton and millet from its list of crops for procurement under the Price Support Scheme on the MSP.

The state government has withdrawn cotton and millet from the MSP list despite the two crops still figuring on the Centre’s list for the purpose, petitioner counsel Moti Singh Rajpurohit told the court.

-PTI

Modi govt working for interest of farmers, says Amit Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the Narendra Modi government is continuously working for the interests of the country’s farmers, as he lauds the Centre’s decision to approve assistance of Rs 3,500 crore for sugarcane farmers.

Congress targets govt over death of Sikh preacher near Singhu border

The Congress on Wednesday targeted the central government after a Sikh preacher, who was supporting the farmers’ stir against the farm laws, allegedly committed suicide near the Singhu border.

Police had said that they had received a call that Sant Ram Singh (65) had shot himself, and they were trying to verify a handwritten note in Punjabi, purportedly left behind by him, that says he was unable to bear the “pain of farmers”.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Modi government should quit its “stubbornness” and withdraw the laws.

“Sant Baba Ram Singh Ji of Karnal committed suicide after seeing the plight of farmers on the Kundli border. My condolences and tribute in this hour of grief. Many farmers have sacrificed their lives. The brutality of the Modi government has crossed all limits. Quit stubbornness and immediately withdraw the anti-agricultural law,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also blamed the government for the incident.

Sikh cleric kills self, leaves note on farmers’ protests

A Sikh priest from Haryana’s Karnal died by suicide at the Singhu border in Delhi on Wednesday, reported India Today.    In a note, he said he was sacrificing his life “to express anger and pain against the government’s injustice”, reported NDTV . As per the NDTV report, police said the priest shot himself and was rushed to Park hospital in Panipat where he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.

SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal talso weeted that a Sikh cleric had killed himself “after being unable to see the suffering around him at Kundli border.” “Hope GOI wakes up to the tragedy and repeals the 3 agri laws before it’s too late,” she added.

Oppn misleading Punjab farmers, soluton soon: Tomar

Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday said farmers in the entire country are supporting the three agri laws, but cultivators from Punjab are being “misled” into protest byOpposition, even as he expressed hope to find a solution"soon" to the ongoing impasse.

Speaking to reporters, Tomar said talks werebeing held with farmer organisations, including those from Punjab, and a “solution will be found soon”.

“We are talking to farmer organisations and also those from Punjab. We will soon find a solution on the issue. The Opposition is trying to mislead farmers, but it will not succeed,” Tomar said. He claimed that the new agriculture reforms would change the lives of the farmers.

Anti-Indian, feudalistic force behind farmers’ stir: Pradhan

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday claimed that an anti-Indian and feudalistic force was behind the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the new agricultural laws. He said that this force was also against the concepts of ‘‘Bharatiyata’’ (Indianness) and India’’s self-reliance.

“There is a force in the country which is basically anti-India and feudalistic. The people associated with this force are also against Indianness and the country’s self- reliance. This force is behind the farmers’ agitation,” Pradhan told reporters.

Govt should have formed panel before passing laws, says BKU (Ekta Ugrahan)

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), which has been leading the agitation at Tikri Border, said it would become part of a new committee only if the three laws are rolled back. “We will be in the new committee only after the government first repeals the three laws. The government should have formed a committee of farmers and others before enacting the new agriculture laws. There will be no meaning of new committee at this stage,” BKU Ekta Ugrahan’s Punjab general secretary Sukhdev Singh said.

SC-monitored negotiation a wrong path, says Yogendra Yadav

Taking to Twitter, Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav, who is also a member ‘Sankyukt Kisan Morcha’, said, “The SC can and must decide on the constitutionality of the 3 farm acts. But it is not for the judiciary to decide on the feasibility and desirability of these laws. That’s between the farmers and their elected leaders. SC monitored negotiation would be a wrong path.” In another tweet, he said, “This amounts to resurrecting a proposal made by the government on 1 December which farmers organisations had rejected unanimously.”

Consituting new panel not a solution: groups

Protesting farmer unions said constituting a new panel to break the stalemate on the three new agri laws, as indicated by the Supreme Court, is not a solution as they want a complete withdrawal of the legislations.  They also said the government should have formed a committee of farmers and others before the laws were enacted by Parliament.

Abhimanyu Kohar, a leader of the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sabha which is one of 40 protesting farmer unions, said they have already rejected a recent government offer to form such a panel. “Setting up a new committee by the court is not a solution. We just want a complete repeal of the three agriculture laws. Earlier, there have been several rounds of talks between a group of Central ministers and farmer unions, which was like a committee itself,” Kohar told PTI.

Left parties take out rally in Kolkata

Members of farmer wings of  several Left parties on Wednesday marched on the streets of Kolkata demanding that the Centre and the West Bengal governments ensure that agriculturists get fair price for their produce.    Organisers of the rally – the CPM, the CPI and other Left parties – also demanded immediate repeal of the three farm bills passed by the Centre and expressed solidarity with agitating farmers of North India.

PTI

Farmers protest an “exception” says Narendra Singh Tomar

The ongoing farmers’ protest at Delhi borders is an “exception” and “limited to one state”, said Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and hoped for an early solution as the government is in talks with farmer unions. “There is an atmosphere of enthusiasm in the country because of the recent reforms in the farm sector,” he said while referring to the enactment of three new legislations. “The ongoing protest is an exception and the agitation is limited to one state. We are holding discussions and talks. I believe there will be an early solution,” Tomar said at a virtual conference organised by industry body Assocham.

PTI

Gujarat BJP chief terms protests ‘planned conspiracy’ by Opposition

BJP’s Gujarat unit president CR Paatil on Wednesday alleged that the ongoing agitation by farmers on the Delhi borders was a planned conspiracy by the

Opposition parties to create anarchy in the country and to destabilise it. Paatil, a BJP MP from Navsari Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat, said Congress was in favour of these farm sector reforms when it was in power before 2014 Talking to reporters in Surat, Paatil said, “This agitation is a planned conspiracy by the Opposition to destabilise the nation, but the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not let this happen. Since Opposition parties have lost their base, they are trying to create anarchy in the country.”

AIKSSC hails SC advice to Centre as moral victory: report

The AIKSCC (All India Kisan Coordination Committee) says SC advised that Committee will useful only after withdrawal of Acts  and hailed the SC advice to the Centre as moral victory for farmers, reported CNBC TV-18

Farm laws major step for doubling farmers’ income, says Uttarakhaand CM

Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Wednesday said the new central agriculture laws are in the interest of farmers and a major step towards doubling their income.  Addressing a farmers’ conference at the Rishikul ground in Haridwar virtually, Rawat claimed the new laws are based on the Swaminathan commission’s report. “It is a significant step towards doubling the income of farmers, which is a major goal set by the Centre. Farmers have been given access to the open market and are now free to sell their produce wherever they like. A myth is being spread that the new farm laws will put an end to the MSP regime,” Rawat said. It is not right to mislead farmers about the laws, he added.

PTI

Welcome SC’s decision, says minister

Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash said the government welcomed the SC’s decision on forming a committee for ending deadlock with farmers, reported news agency ANI. “Whatever final decision the court takes tomorrow on the issue, we will act accordingly,” the minister said.

Earlier in the day the apex court said it was considering forming a committee of government representatives and farmers organisations as the government attempts of negotiations were not yielding any results. It posted the matter fo hearing tomorrow.

Farmers’ issues can be resolved in five minutes if Modi steps in: Sanjay Raut

The issues flagged by agitating farmers can be solved in five minutes if Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself steps in, said Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.
Raut said the BJP-led NDA government should have a dialogue with the farmers who are protesting for the last 21 days outside Delhi demanding scrapping of the Centre’’s three new agri-marketing laws.

“The government can solve the issue in 30 minutes sitting with the (agitating) farmers, if it wants…I think the issue will be solved in five minutes if the prime minister himself intervenes,” Raut told PTI over the phone from New Delhi. The Sena leader said the protesters are Indias own farmers and the government should have a dialogue with them.

Bringing tractors near National Capital not the way to protest, says Puri

Puri said everybody has the right to hold protest in a democracy. “But there is also a way to hold protest. If you bring tractors near the National Capital, that is not protest,” he said. The minister also praised the farmers of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh for bringing Green Revolution through their hard work.

and urged the Punjab BJP leadership to sit with the farmers and ask them if they believe that they will get relief with the amendments proposed by the government.

PTI

‘Not the time to remain adamant’: Puri appeals to farmers to resume talks

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri appealed to protesting farmers to resume talks with the central government to discuss their genuine demands, saying this is not the time to remain adamant.  Addressing a virtual ‘kisan sammelan’, he asserted that the Narendra Modi-led government was taking several steps in the interest of the farming community. We are ready to hold talks with them (farmers) to discuss their genuine demands. We are ready to find a solution of this problem, but it is necessary that the farmer brothers join the talks again and put forth their points face to face, he said.

The Housing and Urban Affairs minister said the Centre had given assurance on the issues of minimum support price (MSP) and mandi system, as well as dispute resolution to the agitating farmers. If they have anything more to discuss, then come. But this is not the time to remain adamant, he said in an apparent reference to the farmers’ demand of repealing the farm laws.

Tikri, Dhansa borders closed, says Delhi Traffic Police

The Tikri and Dhansa borders of the National capital are closed for any traffic movement while the Jhatikara border is open only for two-wheelers and pedestrian movement, said the Dehli Traffic Police. It also said that the Jharoda (Only Single Carriageway/Road), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders to Haryana are open.

Middlemen protesting against farm laws, not farmers, says MP minister

 Madhya Pradesh agriculture minister Kamal Patelclaimed those protesting against the Centre’s three new farm laws are “middlemen” and not real farmers. Talking to PTI, Patel asserted that the new farm rules will give cultivators the real price for their produce and an opportunity to trade, export, and set up food processing units and warehouses. Till now, middlemen used to buy crops of farmers at very low prices and sell them to end users at ten times higher

rates by grading the purchase as per the quality of crop, Patel said. “As the three new laws have hit hard the middlemen, who have captured the entire market and given donations to political parties, they are agitating on the issue and demanding their rollback,” the minister claimed.

Cabinet okays Rs 3,500 cr sugar export subsidy

Meanwhile, the government on Wednesday approved a subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore to sugar mills for the export of 60 lakh tonnes of sweetener during the ongoing marketing year 2020-21 as part of its efforts to help them clear outstanding dues to sugarcane farmers.  Briefing media after the meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore on exports of 60 lakh tonnes of sweetener and the subsidy amount will directly be given to farmers. The minister said both “sugar industry as well as sugarcane farmers are in crisis” because of high domestic production at 310 lakh tonnes as against the annual demand of 260 lakh tonnes. The decision will benefit 5 crore farmers, said Javadekar, who is also Union environment minister.

PTI

Agri laws will bring revolutionary changes in farmers’ lives, asserts Tomar

Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar told a rally in Madhya Pradesh that new farm laws were in keeping with the promises made by the Narendra Modi government in 2014. The Union minister said that the new laws were part of the tough decisions taken by the government to improve the lives of the farmers and they will bring revolutionary changes in lives of farmers, reported India Today.

Centre should give up ego, accept farmers’ demands: Gopal Rai

The Centre should give up its “ego” and “stubbornness” and accept the demands of farmers who are protesting against the new farm laws at Delhi’s borders despite the biting cold, the city’s Development minister Gopal Rai said.Rai, also convener of the Delhi unit of the AAP, said the Arvind Kejriwal-led governmentand his party stand firmly with the farmers and have been making certain arrangements for them during their protest. After a visit to the Singhu border, blocked by thousands of farmers camping there for nearly three weeks now, Rai said the Kejriwal government has arranged a Langar Sewa (community kitchen), water and toilet facilities for them.

PTI

Agriculture minister thanks farmers who supported laws

“When Prime Minister Narendra Modi implemented demonetisation, Congress said that his countdown has begun. When he implemented GST, people said that his government won’t come back. But in 2019 elections, people made him the prime minister for the second time with more seats than the last elections” says Tomar at Gwalior meeting. He also thanked the farmers who had “gathered in Rewa, Sagar, Gwalior, Ujjain and other places to support farm laws,”

Leftists shooting from farmers’ shoulders: Narendra Singh Tomar

Addressing a Kisan Sammelan in Gwalior, union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the Centre’s farm laws have been welcomed by farmers across the country who want to use the laws. He reiterated that the Centre is sympathetic to the farmers demands. Tomar alleged that “Leftist elements” were shooting form the shoulders of the farmers and warned that the govt would be ready to reply to attempts to tarnish Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image.“I want to tell protesting farmers that if anyone wrongly tries to tarnish Narendra Modi’s image, the govt knows how to give them a befitting reply. You are welcome to talk, but do not spread lies and confusion among the farmers,” he said

Farm organisations to hold meet at 4pm 

Farmer union leaders will conduct a meeting at 4 pm on Wednesday on Supreme Court’s order on protests against farm laws.

The Supreme Court Wednesday issued a notice to the Centre and others on a batch of petitions seeking removal of farmers camping at several roads. The top court also directed the petitioners to make protesting farmer unions parties to the pleas and posted the matter for hearing on Thursday.

Madhya Pradesh CM takes potshot at Rahul Gandhi over farm laws

Speaking at Kisan Sammelan in Madhya Pradesh, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi for targeting the Central government over the three contentious agriculture Bills that were earlier passed by the Parliament. 

“On what ground is Rahul Gandhi protesting farm laws. Does he understand anything about farmers? Does he know what farming is? Can he even tell the correct orientation to sow a corn plant?” said the chief minister.

Govt will not do anything against farmers’ interest: Centre to SC

“Your negotiations with protesting farmers have not worked apparently till now,” the Supreme Court Bench told the Centre on Wednesday while hearing the pleas seeking removal of protesters from Delhi borders.

Meanwhile, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that the government will not do anything against the interest of farmers.

Centre’s negotiations do not work and is bound to fail again: SC

Hearing the petitions seeking removal of protesting farmers from Delhi borders, the Supreme Court told the Centre that its negotiations have not worked till now. “Your negotiations with protesting farmers have not worked apparently till now,” said the apex court.

SC posts matter for hearing tomorrow

While hearing a plea seeking removal of farmers from Delhi borders, the Supreme Court directed the petitioners to set up farmer unions parties to resolve the issue.

The matter will be heard in the Supreme Court on 17 December.

SC proposes forming committee for negotiations

It appears that the government’s talks with farmers will not work out, observes SC and says that it is thinking of making a committee to resolve the issue, reported CNBC TV-18  . The committee will have members of  the BKU (Kisan)Union, Centre and other farmer organizations, Bar&Bench quotes Bobde as saying The chief justice says other organisations will also be included in the committee as “it will soon become a national issue”.

There can be no precedent in law and order situation, says CJI

According to Bar& Bench , advocate Om Prakash Parihar, appearing for petitioner mentionsthe  Shaheen Bagh case to remove farmers from Delhi borders to which CJI SA Bobde responds, saying that there cannot be a precedent in law and order matter. “How many people had blocked the road there ? Will the number of people not determine this ? Who will take responsibility? There can be no precedent in law and order situation,” Live Law quotes Bobde as saying.

Attempts being made to ‘misguide and confuse’ farmers, alleges Nitin Gadkari

Union road transport, highways and MSME minister Nitin Gadkari said attempts are being made to “misguide and confuse” farmers and gain advantage out of their protests and appealed to farmer unions to come forward for a meaningful dialogue with the government to end the stalemate.  “There are attempts by forces to misguide and confuse farmers and derive advantage out of their protests. This kind of politics is not in the interest of the nation. Under democracy, the government is ready to hold discussions… We are ready to accept their genuine demands. They should come forward and hold talks,” Gadkari told PTI.

The senior leader and former BJP President also said that remarks made by international entities on this issue were unjustifiable and uncalled for as India never interfered in internal matters of other countries.

SC begins hearing pleas seeking removal of protesting farmers

Supreme Court on Wednesday began hearing petitions seeking a direction to authorities to immediately remove the farmers who are protesting at several border points of Delhi against the three new farm laws, ANI reported.

Security beefed up at Chilla border

Security arrangements were tightened at the Chilla border between Delhi and Noida on Wednesday as farmer union leaders have threatened to completely block the key border point to press for repeal of the Centre’s new farm laws.

A senior police officer said elaborate security measures are already in place at the Chilla border. Multi-layered barricades, jersey barriers and additional security personnel have been deployed to ensure law and order.

Politics over farmers not in country’s interest: Nitin Gadkari

Attempts are being made to “misguide and confuse” farmers and gain advantage out of their protests, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday and appealed to farmer unions to come forward for a meaningful dialogue with the government to end the stalemate.

The senior leader and former BJP President also said that remarks made by international entities on this issue were unjustifiable and uncalled for as India never interfered in internal matters of other countries.

“There are attempts by forces to misguide and confuse farmers and derive advantage out of their protests. This kind of politics is not in the interest of the nation. Under democracy, the government is ready to hold discussions. We are ready to accept their genuine demands. They should come forward and hold talks,” Gadkari told PTI.

Narendra Singh Tomar to address a farmers’ conference in Gwalior today 

Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will address a ‘kisan sammelan’ in Gwalior on Wednesday. The rally is part of the BJP’s reach out to farmers amid continuing protest on Delhi border by farmer unions against three farm laws enacted by the government in September.

BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia will also be present in the programme.

Farmers block Noida link road towards Delhi at Chilla border

Farmers’ groups ask Centre to not discredit protests and talk

Farmers’ groups have written to Agriculture Ministry secretary Vivek Agarwal, asking the government to stop discrediting their protests and give equal importance to all unions in discussions, India Today reported.