Farmers' Protest Updates: The farmer protests against farm laws entered its 30th day today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released Rs 18,000 crores as the next instalment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme to over 9 crore farmers.
PM Modi also interacted with farmers after the release of Rs 18,000 crores as part of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.
Under the PM-KISAN Scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to the eligible beneficiary farmers, payable in three equal 4-monthly installments of Rs 2000 each through direct benefit transfer.
Meanwhile, Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar appealed to the protesting farmers to end their protest and hold talks with the government.
"I appeal to the protesting farmers to end their protest and hold talks with the government. I hope they will understand the importance of the new farm laws, and the issue will be resolved soon," Tomar said.
Farmers continue their protest at the borders of Delhi against the Farmers'' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Here are the Live Updates on farmer protests:
Not farmers but "farm-grabbers" may lose land: Jitendra Singh on new farm lawsUnion Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said "farm-grabbers" may lose land that has been illegitimately taken away from farmers and not that of the agriculturists, PTI reported.
He refuted the false rumours that the farmers will lose ownership of their land under the new farm laws.
Congress spreading confusion over farm laws: BJP's Satish Poonia
Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia on Friday accused the Congress of spreading confusion among people and farmers over the Centre's farm laws. Mr Poonia claimed that farmers from across the country are not part of the protest against the laws, PTI reported.
Farmer Unions To Again Meet On Saturday On Centre's Fresh Talks OfferThe protesting farmer unions met on Friday to discuss the government's latest letter inviting them for talks, with some of them indicating that they may decide to resume their dialogue with the Centre to find a solution to the ongoing deadlock over the three contentious agri laws.
The unions said they will hold another meeting on Saturday where a formal decision on the Centre's invite for the resumption of stalled talks is likely to be taken.
An official in the Union ministry of agriculture and farmers' welfare also said the government was expecting the next round of meeting to take place in the next two-three days.
One of the protesting union leaders, who did not wish to be named, said their demand for a legal guarantee on minimum support price will, however, remain the same.
Centre Not Willing To Solve Farmers' Issue, Want To Wear Them Down: CongressHours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi blamed those with a political agenda for the deadlock in talks over agriculture laws, the Congress hit back, saying the government does not want to solve farmers'' problem and trying to "wear them down".
"The entire country listened to Prime Minister Modi's clarification on TV today. They say bigger the crime bigger the clarification and the prime minister is just doing that," Mr Surjewala said, claiming that the PM and his ministers are only giving "clarifications" without looking into the plight of farmers.
"For a month, farmers are protesting near Delhi's borders in this cold weather. Forty-four of them have already died due to various reasons but the pro-capitalist government is not moved," senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters on Friday.
Farmers Being "Misled" On New Laws, Says Uttarakhand Chief MinisterUttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Friday said farmers are being misled about the new farm laws by their "sympathisers" who actually do not want them to prosper.
Joining Prime Minister Narendra Modi's programme for transferring Rs 18,000 crore directly into bank accounts of farmers across the country, Mr Rawat described the new farm laws as the biggest reformative step ever taken in the interest of farmers.
"Farmers are free today to sell their produce wherever they like. The MSP mechanism will also continue. Doubling of farmers' income is the Prime Minister's major objective. But farmers are being misled by people pretending to be their sympathisers. They are actually people who don't want farmers to prosper," Mr Rawat said.
Private Companies Won't Grab Land Under Contract Farming: PM ModiPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday allayed fears that private firms might grab farmers' land under a new contract farming law enacted by the Centre, as he listened to success stories about benefits of the new Acts while interacting with peasants from seven states.
After releasing Rs 18,000 crore funds to 9 crore farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme, PM Modi held interaction with farmers from Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Haryana.
In their interaction with the PM, the seven farmers shared their success stories and also highlighted the benefits of recently enacted agri-laws. They also shared their good experience of working with private players under contract farming agreements.
Protesting Farmers Picket Punjab Hotel, BJP Leaders Escape Via BackdoorA group of BJP leaders in Punjab's Phagwara had to slip out from the backdoor under police protection on Friday after farmers protesting the central government's new agricultural laws picketed a hotel that they were holding an event in.
Demonstrators from the Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba) protested at the hotel where the BJP leaders were observing the birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The protesters claimed that the hotel was owned by a BJP activist who also ran a company that supplied cattle and chicken feed. They said they will boycott the company's products.
Led by the union's vice president Kirpal Singh Mussapur, several demonstrators held a protest outside the hotel and surrounded the BJP leaders and workers who had managed to get inside before the farmers began their agitation.
Watch: Farmers Run Tractor Over Barricade In Clash With Uttarakhand CopsFarmers protesting the central government's agrarian reforms clashed with the police in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district on Friday, with dramatic footage showing the demonstrators running a tractor over a barricade as dozens of policemen try to hold them back.
A video posted on Twitter by news agency ANI showed a large crowd of protesters facing off with the police. A few protesters driving a green tractor charge at a barricade, running it down and forcing the policemen to finally get out of the way.
Not A Single Benefit, A Lot Of Harm: Arvind Kejriwal On Farm LawsDelhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday claimed the Centre's new agricultural reform laws will not benefit farmers in any way and do a lot of harm.
According to the BJP, Mr Kejriwal said, the laws will enable farmers to sell their produce outside mandis. But they only get half the price for their crop outside mandis so how is that a benefit.
Farmers from various parts of the country have been camping at different border points of Delhi for four weeks now to demand repeal of the three agri laws, which were voted through in Parliament in September amid strong protests by opposition parties.
Mr Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party have come out strongly in support of protesting farmers. Earlier this month, Mr Kejriwal had visited Singhu border, one of the protest sites, and reviewed arrangements made for farmers by the city government.
"BJP says that these laws will not harm farmers. But what is their benefit? They say that now the farmers will be able to sell their crop anywhere outside the market. But outside the market, the crop is sold at half the price. How is this a benefit? The truth is that these laws will do a lot of harm and don't have a single benefit," Mr Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
"Rahul Gandhi Shedding Crocodile Tears, Misleading Farmers": Smriti IraniUnion minister Smriti Irani launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday, accusing him of "lying and misleading" farmers over the Centre's recent farm laws.
Addressing a farmers' rally in her parliamentary constituency Amethi, Ms Irani said, "Rahul Gandhi is telling lies and misleading farmers. He is shedding crocodile tears for farmers and misleading them, his own jija (brother-in-law) has encroached upon the land of farmers."
Ms Irani's attack on Mr Gandhi comes amid protests by farmers on various border points of Delhi against the Centre's recent farm laws.
Throwing a challenge at Rahul Gandhi for a debate on farmer issues, Ms Irani asked him to come in the midst of farmers here and claimed that she would expose him for every single sin committed by him.
The Union minister addressed the rally in Singhpur block in Tiloi as part of a mega exercise undertaken by the BJP to reach out to farmers as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday released over ₹ 18,000 crore to more than nine crore farmer families under the ''Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi'' (PM-KISAN).
Farmers' Protest A Living Monument Of BJP Government's Failure: Akhilesh YadavAs the farmers' protest against the Centre's three farm laws completed a month on Friday, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the ongoing agitation is a living monument of the BJP government's failure.
In a tweet in Hindi, Mr Yadav said, "The protest against the farm laws is completing a month today. For the benefit of their dear rich friends and corporate sponsors, the BJP is trading a path which is against all -- farmers, labourers, middle and lower classes. The farmer protest is a living monument of the BJP government's failure."
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, UP and some other states have been protesting at various border points of Delhi against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.
Agitating Farmers Misguided, Ryots Across Country Are Happy With Modi Schemes: Prakash JavadekarUnion Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday alleged that "some" farmers protesting against the recently enacted Central laws were misguided by their "political masters" and that they were painting a picture as if farmers across the country were with them.
Lashing out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the farm laws, Mr Javadekar said "he appears (in public) once in a fortnight" and challenged him for an open debate on the central legislations.
Ryots in India are happy with the farm laws and other pro-farmer initiatives such as the PM Kisan scheme, the minister for Environment and Information said.
Addressing farmers at a meeting at nearby Maraimalai Nagar organised by the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP, Javadekar claimed that the Punjab farmers have received more than double the amount as MSP during the NDA rule than they had got in the previous UPA regime.
"The Punjab farmers have received every year more than double the amount that they got as MSP during the Congress-led UPA rule. Their income has already doubled and they are experiencing it. Still, they are agitating as they are being misguided," the minister said.
Try New Farm Laws For A Year Or Two, Amendments Will Be Made If Not Found Beneficial: Rajnath Singh To FarmersSenior BJP leader and Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday appealed to farmers to try the three new farm laws as an "experiment" for a year or two and in case they are found not beneficial for the farming community, the government will do all necessary amendments.
Describing the protesting farmers as his own people, Mr Singh said, "Those who are sitting on dharna are farmers and are born to farmers'' families. We have a lot of respect for them."
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, are camping on Delhi borders for almost a month in protest against the three laws enacted in September.
At least five rounds of talks have taken place between the protesting unions and the government but a stalemate has continued with farmers refusing to accept anything less than the repeal of the laws, which they fear would leave them at the mercy of corporates by weakening mandi and MSP systems.
The government has allayed these apprehensions as misplaced and has projected the new laws as major agriculture reforms aimed at helping the farmers.
Addressing a rally at Dwarka in the national capital, Mr Singh said he himself is a farmers'' son and assured that the Modi government "will never do anything which is not in the interest of the farmers".
"People are trying to mislead farmers about these farm laws that they are not in their interest. I am the son of a farmer and have worked in farms. I want to assure you that there is not a single provision in these laws which is against farmers," Mr Singh said at the rally organised as part of the ruling BJP's massive outreach programme on the farm laws.
PM Attacks Mamata Banerjee: "Bengal Blocking Central Benefits To Farmers"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released ₹ 18,000 crore to over nine crore farmer families under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) programme. With the push of a button, PM Modi enabled the transfer of money at an event that the ruling BJP has made into a big exercise amid the protest by farmers against three new farm laws.
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In many parts of the country, agreement farming has been tried. It has been done in the dairy sector. So far, have you heard that a company has monopolised the dairy industry?: PM Modi during his address to farmers.
Those who remained in the govt previously for several years left the farmers on their own. Promises were made and forgotten. Due to the agriculture policies of the previous govt, the poor became poorer, was it not important to change this state of farmers?: PM Modi.
Today, every farmer knows where he will get the best price for his farm produce. With these farm reforms, farmers can sell their produce to anyone anywhere. What is wrong if the farmers are being benefitted?: PM Modi addresses farmers.
The groups who are talking about mandis, APMC are the ones who destroyed West Bengal, Kerala. There are no APMCs and mandis in Kerala. So, why are no protests in Kerala? Why don't they start a movement there? But are only misguiding the farmers of Punjab: PM Modi.
The farmers of Bengal have been deprived of the benefits of the Centre's schemes. Bengal is the only state which is not allowing benefits of the schemes to reach the farmers: PM Modi.
Today, more than Rs 18,000 crores have been directly deposited in the accounts of farmers; no middlemen, no commissions: PM Modi.
So far, I've received Rs 10,000 under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Under the new farm laws, we can now sell the farm produce to any private business/organisation. This year, I sold 85 quintal soybean to ITC: Manoj Patidar, farmer from Dhar, Madhya Pradesh during interaction with the PM.
Earlier, I used to do rice farming but I am also interested in gardening. I have planted lemons in 3 acres and guavas in 7 acres of land. We sell them in local mandis and get a good amount for it: Hari Singh Bishnoi, a farmer from Fatehabad in Haryana.
I urge you to tell farmers about the Kisan Credit Card and its various benefits which include the availability of loans at low-interest rates: PM Modi to a farmer from Odisha.
PM Modi interacts with farmers after the release of Rs 18,000 crores as part of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.
The three farm laws are in the favour of the farmers. Nobody can remove MSP system or snatch farmers' land from them. The government is ready to hold talks with farmers' unions with an open heart, says Amit Shah.
PM Modi will release Rs 18,000 crore as the next instalment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme to over 9 crore farmers today with a click of a button. He is the true well-wisher of farmers: Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Seven US Lawmakers Write To Mike Pompeo On Farmers' Protest In India
A group of seven influential US lawmakers, including Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, have written to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, urging him to raise the issue of farmers'' protest in India with his Indian counterpart. India has called the remarks by foreign leaders and politicians on protests by farmers as "ill-informed" and "unwarranted", asserting that the matter pertains to the internal affairs of a democratic country.
Many farmers have thanked PM Modi for the new agriculture laws. We will double farmers' income by 2022. The government is ready to talk and clear doubts of the farmers who are protesting. A solution can be found only through dialogue: Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
BJP's Plan For PM's Speech To Farmers Today
The BJP is sparing no expense to reach out to farmers today, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address nine crore farmers and clarify the centre's position on the farm laws, as well as release the next batch of financial aid - ₹ 18,000 crore - from the PM-Kisan scheme.
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