Updated: September 25, 2020 10:26:09 pm
Farmers from Uttar Pradesh protest against the Farmers Bill on the Delhi Noida border on Friday, September 25, 2020. Express photo by Abhinav Saha
Farmers across the country took to the streets on Friday to protest controversial farm bills recently passed by Parliament. Agitating the farmers they blocked roads, including highways, to pressure the Center to withdraw the three agricultural laws: the Trade in Agricultural Products and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Act of 2020, the Agreement of Guarantee of Prices and Agricultural Services for the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Bill of 2020 and the Essential Products (Amendment) Bill of 2020 – and the labor bills that have not yet obtained the approval of the President.
More than 350 farmers organizations are holding protests under the umbrella of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKS) (AIKSCC).
Farmers protest in Rohtak district.
Opposition parties such as Congress, the RJD and the Trinamool Congress, as well as 10 central unions, have expressed their support for farmers. Congress argued that the new farm laws will “enslave” farmers and that the MSP (minimum support price) will be “taken away” from them. Congressional leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Randeep Surjewala spoke out against the agricultural laws and backed Bharat Bandh.
Amid vehement protests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the opposition of “misleading” farmers and “using his shoulders to shoot” his government on farm bills for “selfish political interests,” claiming that for the first time in decades, the Center has crafted laws that will benefit farmers and workers.
Quixplained: What are farm bills and why are farmers concerned?
Farmers, however, have expressed fear that the farm bills would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system and would be at the “mercy” of large corporate entities.
UP police detained protesting farmers in Lucknow.
Threatening to continue their fight until the three agricultural bills were repealed, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee announced on Friday that it was extending its ‘rail roko’ agitation in Punjab until September 29. The three-day agitation was scheduled to end on September 26. He previously said that 14 pairs of special trains would remain suspended between September 24 and 26.
‘Chakka Jaam’ in Punjab
In Punjab, up to 31 farmer organizations came together for a complete shutdown of the state. While the ruling Congress and the AAP have extended their support for the protest, Shiromani Akali Dal conducted a “chakka jaam” (road blockade) in many places in Punjab. The chief minister, Amarinder Singh, called the passage of the agricultural laws “a step in the wrong direction.” He said that no FIR will be registered for the violation of Section 144 of the CrPC, which prohibits the gathering of more than four people in one place.
Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur lead a protest march in the Lambi district of Punjab’s Mukstar district
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was driving a tractor while his wife and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal sat next to him in Muktsar district. Sukhbir led a tractor march from his residence in the town of Badal to Lambi, where the party had organized a protest against the Bills. Leading Punjabi singers, including Harbhajan Mann and Ranjit Bawa, participated in a farmers’ protest in Nabha.
Farmers block the border between UP and Delhi
Farmers protest at the Delhi-Noida border on Friday.
Hundreds of farmers took part in protests on the UP-Delhi border against farm laws after police personnel prevented them from moving towards the national capital, disrupting traffic in Noida and Ghaziabad. A heavy deployment of police personnel in riot gear was made to prevent any disturbances during the protest, a part of the national demonstration against the three agricultural bills passed during the monsoon session.
The farmers, who had come on foot, in two-wheelers and in tractor carts, were detained by police personnel at Noida Gate in Sector 14A near the Chilla border erecting barricades. Two other groups were detained in Hapur chungi and Modinagar in Ghaziabad.
Will try not to implement agricultural bills in Maha: Cong
In Maharashtra, Congress, which is part of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, said it would work to ensure that agricultural sector bills passed by Parliament are not implemented in the state. The party said it decided to hold a protest on October 2 against the new laws and a month-long awareness campaign. “We will work together and make a decision on the non-implementation of the new agricultural laws in Maharashtra,” said the president and minister of the state Congress, Balasaheb Thorat, during a press conference.
More than 180 farmers arrested in Tamil Nadu
In Tamil Nadu, around 180 farmers were arrested for organizing a picket to demand the withdrawal of the bills. A large number of them held a protest in front of the Tiruchirappalli Collection with their hands chained and ties around their necks. They even exhibited human skulls, apparently to indicate that the farm bills were detrimental to them.
Explained: What is the basis of MSP? How is it fixed and how binding is it?
The Tamil Nadu government tried to assert that the three agricultural bills recently passed in parliament will not affect farmers, and said the chief minister, K Palaniswami, will not allow any legislation that harms their interests. Farmers in the state will not be affected by the central laws, Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu said.
Farm bills will turn farmers into company workers: CPM leader
AIKS Vice President S Ramachandran Pillai launched the protest in front of the Raj Bhavan in Kerala.
Farmers under the auspices of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) organized widespread protests in Kerala against the agricultural laws. CPI (M) Senior Leader and AIKS Vice President S Ramachandran Pillai launched the protest in front of Raj Bhavan and said that the new farm laws will turn farmers into workers for corporate giants. “The central government has passed laws that will make all farmers dependent workers for giant corporations. Its objective is to deliver the agricultural sector to companies. Through this movement, our agricultural lands, the production and sale of agricultural products will be taken over by companies. We are selling our agricultural sector to corporate giants, ”Pillai claimed.
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