Senior BJP leader Sambit Patra Friday slammed the opposition Congress and TMC for "misleading" the farmers on the Farm Bills issue and said the reforms will ensure liberalisation in the farm sector for the first time since Independence. He also criticised TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for agreeing to implement the central flagship Ayushman Bharat and PM -Kisan schemes with the rider that the central funds for the same should be channelised through the state administration.
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Senior Tamil Nadu BJP leaders including former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan on Friday flayed the DMK for criticising the Centre's Farm Bills adopted by Parliament recently, wondering what more than Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance on MSP was required.
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Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee announces that it is extending its 'rail roko' agitation in Punjab against three farm Bills till Sep 29. The agitation had started on Thursday, forcing the railway authorities to suspend the operation of special passenger trains in the state. (PTI)
The Congress, which is part of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, on Friday said it would work towards ensuring that the farm sector Bills passed by the Parliament are not implemented in the state.
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The Congress manifesto itself envisioned the sale of agricultural produce outside APMCs. We also made that same promise. Now since we have fulfilled our end of the vow, how are we wrong. This is hypocrisy on their part: Prakash Javadekar, Union Environment Minister.
Around 150-200 farmers were 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, officials said.
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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.
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Farmers under the aegis of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) staged widespread protests in Kerala on Friday against the Farm Bills passed recently in Parliament, alleging that the new legislations will hand over the country's agriculture sector to corporate giants.
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Maharashtra BJP leader Fadnavis on Friday hit out at the Congress and other opposition parties at the Centre for opposing the farm sector bills that were passed in the Parliament.
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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.
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One thing was clear after talking to the farmers, they do not have even a full faith in the Modi government. The voice of all of us is also associated with the loud voice of the peasant brothers, and today the whole country together opposes these agricultural laws, says Rahul Gandhi.
During World War II, the US shook up Japan with an atomic bomb. Akali Dal's one bomb (resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal) has shaken up Modi. For past two months, there was no word on farmers, but now ministers are speaking on it: SAD's Sukhbir S Badal in Muktsar, Punjab.
Punjab CM should call an immediate cabinet meeting and pass an ordinance to declare the state as one 'Mandi' to ensure recently passed agricultural Bills not enforceable in Punjab: Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir S Badal while addressing a rally at Lambi Village in Muktsar.
The government wants to weaken the farmers' movement by spreading various kinds of confusion. The government says that this movement is limited to Punjab only, today the farmers of the entire country have told that this movement belongs to the farmers of the whole of India. The revolutionary bhat of the farmers of Karnataka was introduced to the farmers of Punjab, Haryana today, says Yogendra Yadav.
Farmers, led by various farmers outfits like sugarcane growers association and others staged a protest against the APMC and Land Reforms Amendment Act, on Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway, near KSRTC bus stand, in Mandya, on Friday. They also raised slogans against anti-farmer policies of the governments.
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The provisions in the Acts tilt in favour of MNC and Indian corporates. It is not freedom for farmers but for the MNCs to exploit the farmers. MNC agents will become the new set of middle-men who will control farmers produce and pricing. Farm act is nothing but indirect handing over of farmers to Adani and Ambani, says Swaraj India.
Activists from variousfarmersrights organisations stage aprotestfollowing the recent passing of agriculture bills in the Lok Sabha (lower house), in Bangalore. Credit: PTI Photo
Under the Chief Minister's Kisan Kalyan Yojana, two installments of two thousand rupees will be provided to the farmers' account by adding them to the PM Samman Fund. Thus, 77 lakh farmers of the state will get Rs 10 thousand per annum, says MP Chief Miniser Shivraj Singh Chauhan.
The withdrawal of Mandi system will lead to loss of revenue of the state governments, which touches new dimensions of development of villages. The anti-farmer government holding the development of villages by passing black laws.
Scores of farmers gathered on a key road in Noida in Uttar Pradesh in a protest demonstration on Friday, prompting deployment of police in riot gear that kept them from proceeding towards Delhi.
Around 150-200 farmers were 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, officials said.
The farmers under the Bharatiya Kisan Union banner are protesting the farm sector Bills that were passed by the Parliament during the just-concluded Monsoon Session, alleging they were "anti-farmer" legislations.
Farmers from National South Indian River Interlinking Farmers’ Association sit outside Collector's office in Trichy with human skulls, chained hands and nooses around their necks to demonstrate against recent Farm Bills.
The BJP government is trying to crush the farmer by walking in the steps of the East India Company. The anti-farmer BJP government is giving an open-ended loot exemption to corporates by snatching MSP from farmers.
Members of Bhartiya Kisan Union block roads, stage protest near Delhi border against recent Farm Bills; police have been deployed in the area. "We have diverted traffic so that people do not face any inconvinience," says Additional DCP, Noida.
The BJP is concerned about the income of capitalists. There is no concern about the impact on the income of the farmer when MSP is not ensured. The capitalist government should guarantee MSP by assuming the demands of the farmer, tweets Congress.
Voicing support for the Bharat Bandh call given by farmer organisations to protest the farm bills, the Congress on Friday alleged that the new agriculture laws will "enslave" farmers and the MSP will be "snatched away" from them.
All BJP Karyakartas should reach out to farmers on the ground and inform them in a very simplified language about the importance and intricacies of the new farm reforms, how these will empower them. Our ground connect will bust the lies and rumours being spread in virtual world, says PM Modi
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said the PM Modi-led government's Farm Bills are like a bitter reminder of the East India Company's rule.
In order to get the farmers out of the compulsion to take loans, we will implement Farm Bill amendments. Now decades later, farmers have got the right to their produce. Small and marginal farmers will get the most benefit from the improvements made in agriculture, says PM Modi
In last few years, NDA govt made full efforts to connect farmers with banks. Over Rs 1 lakh crore transferred to over 10 crore farmers under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. Our effort was to provide KISAN credit cards to more farmers so they can avail credit easily, says PM Modi
Previous governments used to make a complicated web of promises and laws which farmers or labourers could never understand. But BJP-led NDA govt, has constantly tried to change this situation and has introduced reforms for the welfare of farmers, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Among farmers' unions which are supporting the bandh call included Bharti Kisan Union Krantikari, Kirti Kisan Union, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and BKU (Lakhowal).
Several organisations in Haryana, including the BKU, have also extended support to the nationwide strike called by some farmers' bodies against the bills.
Farmers in Punjab and Haryana cut across party lines to protest against the recent amendments Farm bills that began on Friday morning. A heavy police cordon has been deployed in both states to deal with potential untoward situations.
Because of the BJP government's practices, farmers are already suffering. Now the government has attacked the interests of farmers by passing the anti-farmer bill. The poor peasants of India will have to fight for justice from the bureaucracy and the pair of capitalists, says Congress.
Hundreds of farmers led by 35 various farmers' outfits blocked major highways and State Highways in and around Bengaluru on Friday morning in protest against the amendment to Land Revenue act and APMC act passed in Parliament recently.
Govt has made our 'annadaata' a puppet through its 'fund daata'. Farm Bills are anti-farmer and have left them dejected. Government had said that they'll double farmers' income by 2022 but these Bills will make them poorer. Agriculture sector has been corporatised, says Tejashwi Yadav, RJD
Members of Karnataka State Farmers' Association hold protest near Bommanahalli in Bengaluru, on Karnataka-Tamil Nadu highway against Farm Bills passed in Parliament. Police personnel deployed in the area to ensure law and order is maintained and Covid-19 safety norms are followed during protest.
Police personnel deployed in Amritsar city in the wake of farmers protest against Farm Bills passed in the Parliament. "Security forces have been deployed at every crossroad and level crossing in the entire city so that no untoward incident takes place," says Additional Comissioner of Police
Police personnel are being deployed around Ladowal Toll Plaza in Ludhiana, in the wake of nationwide protest by farmers today, over Farm Bills. "All prepartions made, additional forces deployed. Farmer leaders have assured us that protest will be peaceful," says SHO Ladowal.
The Trinamool Congress farmers' wing on Thursday protested against Farm Bills across West Bengal, demanding that these should be scrapped.
Describing the farm sector reform Bills as "death knell" for farmers and agricultural workers of the country, hundreds of activists of the TMC's Kisaan Khet Mazdoor cell organised protest marches in various parts of the state.
Carrying posters and placards against the BJP-led government at the Centre, the members of the TMC farmers' wing shouted slogans and burnt copies of these Bills.
The Shekhar Dixit-led Rashtriya Kisan Manch on Thursday said the farm sector Bills, passed by Parliament recently, would benefit farmers as it opposed the 'Bharat Bandh' call given by some peasants' outfits against the proposed legislative measures.
Talking to reporters here, Dixit said the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill would give farmers the freedom to sell their produce anywhere in the country.
It would help "save farmers from the exploitation of middlemen", he said and slammed the organisations opposing the measures.
Haryana BJP leaders Parminder Singh Dhull and Rampal Majra on Thursday dubbed the Centre's farm bills "anti-farmer", claiming that the apprehensions about the minimum support price were not unfounded.
The two former legislators said many farmer outfits were protesting against the Centre's farm reforms and their voices should be heard.
"These bills are anti-farmers, anti-people. These reforms will deal a blow to the dreams of Sir Chhotu Ram, considered the messiah of farmers, who wanted to see the peasants prosperous and happy," Dhull said.
Farmers’ organisations such as AIKSCC, Jai Kisan Andolan, BKU, All India Kisan Sabha have urged President Ram Nath Kovid not to give his assent to 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 which were “rammed” through Parliament by the Modi government.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar accused the Congress of misleading the farmers on the farm sector reforms and pointed out that the opposition parties has promised similar reforms in its party manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Railways on Thursday said the 'rail roko' agitation in Punjab over farm bills will severely impact loading of foodgrains and other essential goods as well as the movement of passengers travelling on special trains, mostly on an urgent basis.
“When seen in totality, these bills have nothing to do with improving farmers’ incomes… Instead, they will empower agri-business and increase corporate control of our food systems, leaving farmers and consumers with little re-course to justice,” Yudhvir Singh, National Convenor, ICCFM, said in a statement.
Opposition parties have thrown their weight behind the farmers’organisations, with Congress launching its own programme to highlight the “lacunae” in the two legislations, even as Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar assured farmers that the new law did not mean to scrap the minimum support price regime or the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMC).
“The cry of farmers will echo throughout the country with ‘Bharat Bandh’ on September 25. Millions of Congress workers under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi are standing with the farmers,” AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said.