Thursday, January 7, 2021
THREE journal publishers have filed a case in Delhi High Court for blocking Sci-Hub and Libgen in India. These two websites provide free downloads of research publications and books to research scholars and students. This is not an attack on pirate sites, as the publishers claim but a war against students and researchers in India, who do not have access to these high-priced journals. The case has been filed in Delhi by knowledge monopolies who have locked the results of science—both natural and social sciences—behind their paywalls, and now insist that everyone pay through their nose for access.
One of the four mercenary soldiers granted a pardon by Trump is Nicholas Slatten, who was sentenced to life imprisonment after exhaustive investigations by the US agencies and the Iraqi government. The killing by Blackwater mercenaries was made public by Private Chelsea (Bradley) Manning, through the release of logs of military reports to WikiLeaks.
A set of three laws on agriculture passed by Parliament in September has led to thousands of farmers staging protests on the outskirts of Delhi over the past two weeks. Most of these agitating farmers are from Punjab and Haryana as they are the biggest beneficiaries of the government's minimum support price (MSP) regime.
Several Indian-American protests were held in support of the farmers, with rallies being held outside Indian consulates in San Francisco, Chicago, Indianapolis, New York, Houston, Michigan, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. Several American Congressmen from both the Republican and Democratic parties voiced support for these protests, including Josh Harder, TJ Cox, Doug LaMalfa, and Andy Levin. In December 2020, seven Congresspersons wrote to the Secretary of State, asking him raise the issue of the farmers' protests with India
The 2020 Indian farmers' protest is an ongoing protest against the three farm acts which were passed by the Parliament of India in September 2020. The acts have been described as "anti-farmer laws" by many farmer unions, and politicians from the opposition also say it would leave farmers at the "mercy of corporates". The government, however, maintains that they will make it effortless for farmers to sell their produce directly to big buyers, and stated that the protests are based on misinformation.
Amid tight security, thousands of farmers today started their tractor-march from protest sites near Delhi border points against the three agriculture laws. Bharati Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) chief Joginder Singh Ugrahan said that farmers participated in the march with over 3,500 tractors and trolleys.
A day before the government’s eighth round of talks with the protesting farmer leaders, SAD leader and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the Centre has lost the trust of the entire farming community and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should directly talk to farmers who are registering their protests at the doorstep of the national capital, news agency PTI reported.
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
The 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest at border points of New Delhi has entered the 43rd day today. Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, are staging a sit-in protest along Delhi borders. The protest started on November 26. The farmers are demanding a complete rollback of the new farm reform laws and a guarantee on the Minimum Suppo
Security was increased along the borders of the national capital ahead of a tractor rally of farmers on Thursday morning. The farmers will hold the rally at 11am at four borders of Delhi in protest against the Centre's agriculture laws.
Tractor march live updates: Farmers hold rally in Haryana's Palwal - The Times of India: Security was increased along the borders of the national capital ahead of a tractor rally of farmers on Thursday morning. The farmers will hold the rally at 11am at four borders of Delhi in protest against the Centre's agriculture laws.
The farmers are adamant that they will not accept anything less than a repeal of the laws. They also want a law that guarantees the minimum support price. The government, which says the laws will benefit farmers by removing middlemen and enable them to sell crops anywhere in the country, has blamed the opposition for the protests, saying they are inciting farmers.
Camping on the highways at the Haryana-Delhi border for over 40 days, braving severe cold and rain, farmers have said their protest will only intensify in the coming days. The rain came amid a cold wave in the National Capital Region last week, taking temperature down to 1.1 degree Celsius, the lowest in 15 years in January.
The Delhi Traffic Police has been tweeting updates on which roads to avoid. It said Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Saboli and Mangesh borders are shut for traffic. "Please take alternate route via Lampur Safiabad, Palla and Singhu school toll tax borders. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK road. Please avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK Road and NH-44," the traffic police tweeted.
A 135-km six-lane arc that partially surrounds the National Capital Region and acts as a high-speed thoroughfare for cargo trucks will be full of tractors today, driven by farmers who have been camping on the highways in and around Delhi in protest against new farm laws. The tractor rally, called by some 40 farmer unions, will run on the Western Peripheral Expressway that starts at Ghaziabad and ends in Palwal. The police have asked people to avoid this expressway, which makes the other half of Western Peripheral Expressway, making a circle around the National Capital Region or NCR.
Washington, United States: Four people died on the US Capitol grounds Wednesday and 52 people have been arrested, after supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump swarmed inside the building as the lawmakers were counting Electoral College votes to certify President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President elect Kamala Harris' election victory.
Several massive farmers’ actions have taken place across the country in the last two weeks under the AIKSCC banner. On December 16, a massive 45,000-strong farmers’ rally of West Bengal was held at Kolkata and it was addressed by AIKS general secretary, Hannan Mollah and other state leaders. In Kerala, massive dharnas of thousands of peasants are being organised at the state capital Thiruvananthapuram and in all district centres. At Bengaluru in Karnataka, from December 16 to 31, a continuous dharna has been organised of peasants, workers, students, youth and women. Similar dharnas are being held in several centres in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Jathas will now be held in many states to take the demands to the people.
In spite of lakhs of fighting farmers involved in the siege of Delhi, the movement has been entirely peaceful and democratic. The BJP-RSS has tried to send agent provocateurs to stir up trouble and violence at all the five borders from time to time, but they have been immediately identified, isolated and handed over to the police.
One of the most heartening aspects of the mobilisation at all five borders of Delhi is the very large proportion of women and youth. Their enthusiasm about the struggle and their anger against the BJP regime and also against the corporates allied to it is evident at every step. Like the earlier placards saying, ‘We are Farmers, Not Terrorists’, they are now wearing new placards saying, ‘Farmers Lives Matter’, ‘Farmers Against Corporates’, ‘Down with Modi-Shah-Ambani-Adani’, ‘Stop the Loot of India’, ‘Prepare for the Second Freedom Struggle’, and many other attractive and imaginative slogans relating to the four main demands of the struggle.
After the completion of one month of the farmers struggle on December 26, it has intensified much further. Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have freshly joined the siege of Delhi at the Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur, Palwal and Shahjahanpur borders, blocking all the national highways there. The mobilisation of the AIKS and of other organizations at all five borders is rapidly increasing.
This inordinate delay was by itself a callous and criminal activity on the part of the heartless Modi regime, considering that lakhs of farmers were camping on the borders of Delhi in the bitter December cold for over a month. Over 40 farmers have been martyred on the Delhi borders, and two have committed suicide in an attempt to make the ‘blind see and the deaf hear’.
THE Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala will soon complete five years in government and the state is moving towards assembly elections. In the campaign for the assembly elections in 2016, the LDF presented a detailed manifesto to the people. Now that the government has implemented its promises to the people, the LDF is holding consultations on what can be done for the people of Kerala in the next five years.
THE All India Agricultural Workers Union(AIAWU) will observe protests on January 6-7 throughout the country. The ongoing struggle against three farm laws and Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2002, is continuing since last one month and farmers are sitting at Delhi borders at five major national highways which connect Delhi to rest of India. Apart from the peasants, a large section of the workers, including tenant farmers, other cultivators and landless labourers, dependent directly and indirectly on agriculture, are part of this struggle.
The bank accounts of Reliance Communication, Reliance Telecom and Reliance Infratel -- all owned by Anil Ambani -- have been classified as "fraud" the State Bank of India has told the Delhi High Court, opening up possibilities of a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The court has asked the bank to maintain status quo on the accounts.
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Farmers' Protest News LIVE Updates: The 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest at border points of New Delhi has entered the 42nd day today. Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, are staging a sit-in protest along Delhi borders. The protest started on November 26. The farmers are demanding a complete rollback of the new farm reform laws and a guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MS
The farmers are adamant that they will not accept anything less than a repeal of the laws. They also want a law that guarantees the Minimum Support Price. The government, which says the laws will benefit farmers by removing middlemen and enable them to sell crops anywhere in the country, has blamed the opposition for the protests, saying they are inciting farmers.
In Punjab, Reliance Jio went to court, seeking government intervention as no arrest was made for the destruction of hundreds of its cellphone towers, allegedly by protesting farmers. Jio owner Mukesh Ambani is seen as one of the major beneficiaries of the farm laws. The farmers have accused the government of working for the benefit of corporates at their expense.
Agriculture minister Narendra Tomar "clearly said that the laws will not be repealed, he even told us to approach the Supreme Court for repeal of the laws," said Sarwan Singh Pandher of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, who attended the meet. "We urge the youth of Punjab to prepare for a long haul. We will take out a big procession on Republic Day," he added.
Through one of the largest strikes in decades witnessed by India, the farmers are demanding the repeal of the three contentious laws. The laws essentially change the way India’s farmers do business by creating free markets, as opposed to a network of decades-old, government marketplaces, allowing traders to stockpile essential commodities for future sales and laying down a national framework for contract farming.
Thousands of farmers protesting near Delhi against the Centre’s three farm laws have decided to postpone their tractor march by a day as sporadic rain hampered their plans to stage a protest. The tractor march, now scheduled to be held on January 7, is a glimpse of how farmers are planning to intensify their protest after the government on January 4 refused to repeal the laws.
Tens of thousands of protesting Indian farmers are camping along at least five major highways on the outskirts of New Delhi and have said they won’t leave until the government rolls back new laws on agricultural reform that they say will drive down crop prices and devastate their earnings ******************************Indian farmers' protests – in pictures
Just five days after schools and colleges reopened in Karnataka, a number of teachers have tested positive for Covid-19 creating a sense of fear among parents and students. In Belagavi district alone, 18 teachers have tested positive for Covid-19. The government had mandated that all teaching and non-teaching staff must undergo a Covid-19 test before educational institutions reopen.
35 Panjab University students have written an open letter on the farmers’ stir to the chief justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde, against attempts being made to paint the protesting farmers as “separatists.” The plea has been converted into a public interest litigation (PIL) and is expected to be heard by the Supreme Court in the coming days.
‘Desh Jagran Abhiyan’ for two weeks to start from tomorrow with protests intensifying throught the country, said Swaraj India’s Yogendra Yadav. “We have decided that on January 7, we will take out tractor march at four borders of Delhi including Eastern and Western peripheral. This will be a trailer for what lies ahead on January 26,” he added, reported ANI.
Krantikari Kisan Union President Darshan Pal said that ‘Azad Hind Kisan Diwas’ will be celebrated on January 23, on the occasion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary. Farmers said they would boycott Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in National Democratic Alliance (NDA), reports ANI.
Vaidushya Parth 05 Jan 2021 parliament. In India, both Houses of Parliament are meant to act as checks and balances so that no branch of the government becomes too puissant in command and authority. The Rajya Sabha was meant to be more balanced and deliberative than the Lok Sabha and be free from the siege of electoral politics. But this hasn’t happened in recent years as the government has tried to bamboozle its way through and prevent the Upper House’s scrutiny of Bills passed by the Lok Sabha, writes VAIDUSHYA PARTH A formidable sinister interest may always obtain the complete command of a dominant assembly by some chance and for a moment, and it is therefore of great use to have a second chamber of an opposite sort, differently composed, in which that interest in all likelihood will not rule.”– Walter Bagehot, British essayist In the Indian constitutional scheme of things, the work of Parliament is to make laws (legislation), check the work of the government (scrutinising the role of the executive), and to conduct debates on current issues of public importance. Generally, the decisions made in one House have to be approved by the other. In this manner, the two-chamber system performs as a check and balance. This set-up was introduced to ensure that no branch of government becomes too puissant in command and authority. CONSTITUTIONAL SCHEME OF BICAMERALISM This bicameral legislature is the first line of checks against any arbitrary executive action. The basis of an Upper House and its position and function in parliamentary democracy has always remained a subject of passionate and fiery debate. In the accounts of Constitution-making, there were occasions when statesmen, writers and thinkers expressed antithetical views on the efficacy of an Upper House. Some held that a Second Chamber was destructive of “the will of the people”, illustrated and manifested through the publicly elected Lower House, while others underlined the need for such a House as “a safeguard against the tyranny of a single-chamber Legislature”. In the Constituent Assembly, during a discussion on the need for a Second Chamber, divergent views were expressed. The following reasons were cited in favour of it: (a) the requirement for a second look at Bills which may be the product of electoral equations or the tyranny of the popular majority; (b) the Second Chamber is more deliberative and nuanced; (c) the Second Chamber acts as a check on hasty and ill-conceived legislation; (d) it strengthens the federal structure. The Lok Sabha, in effect, if not in form, begins to serve as an executive, rather than a legislative (which it is ideally supposed to be) organ. The Lower House, inter alia, is, therefore, swayed by public passions, engrossed in ugly equations of electoral politics and eventually results into the epitome of majoritarianism. On the other hand, the great French constitutional expert, Abbe Sieyes, who rejected the concept of a Second Chamber, said: “If a Second Chamber dissents from the first, it is mischievous; if it agrees, it is superfluous.” Responding to this criticism, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, said in the Constituent Assembly: “The [second part] of the criticism of Abbe Sieyes is undoubtedly valid because it is so obvious. But nobody has so far [endorsed the first part of the criticism] of Abbe Sieyes.” THE LOGIC OF CHECKS & BALANCES The Lok Sabha (the Lower House) is a publicly elected chamber. The political party with the largest number of seats there forms the government. It alone is responsible for making decisions on Money Bills. The Rajya Sabha can consider these Bills, but cannot block or amend them. The Lok Sabha, in effect, if not in form, begins to serve as an executive, rather than a legislative (which it is ideally supposed to be) organ. The Lower House, inter alia, is therefore swayed by public passions, engrossed in ugly equations of electoral politics and eventually results into the epitome of majoritarianism. Therefore, without effective bicameral legislative checks, the government of a parliamentary constitutional republic, at best, becomes an elected autocracy, and the sacrosanct “rule of law” takes the face of the notorious “rule by decree”. The Rajya Sabha is supposed to check and scrutinise the Lok Sabha, which in disguise is nothing but a chamber of the prime minister along with his council of ministers. To counter this, the Rajya Sabha, the second House, is independent of the elected Lok Sabha, and more balanced and deliberative in nature. Free from the siege of electoral politics, it is supposed to check and scrutinise the Lok Sabha, which in disguise is nothing but a chamber of the prime minister along with his council of ministers. This is especially so when it is occupied with a thumping majority, and in the wake of anti-defection laws, it disallows intra-party dissent. The Rajya Sabha, therefore, is made to play an important role in checking and balancing the actions of the popularly elected government. Its creation is a counter to what James Madison saw as the “fickleness and passion” that could absorb the publicly elected House. He noted further: “The use of the [Upper House] is to consist in its proceeding with more coolness, with more system and with more wisdom, than the popular branch.” The framers of the Indian Constitution consequently attempted to erect the government – following the Westminster model — on the edifice of various limits, controls and checks between the executive and the legislature. More importantly, this separation of power was not intended to be a mere matter of form but of substance. MONEY BILL – A TOOL OF SABOTAGE In recent years, the government, however, bamboozled this separation of powers by bypassing the Rajya Sabha through the instrumentality of the Money Bill (s). Notably, certifying a Bill as a Money Bill, which otherwise is a normal Bill, has serious consequences, as it rules out the security of the Rajya Sabha. Of late, there have been continued and deliberate attempts to prevent the Upper House’s scrutiny of Bills passed by the Lok Sabha, including the Electoral Bonds Scheme. In recent years, the government (executive), however, bamboozled this separation of powers by bypassing the Rajya Sabha through the instrumentality of the Money Bill (s). Notably, certifying a Bill as a Money Bill has very serious consequences, as it rules out the security of the Rajya Sabha. The manner adopted in passing these Bonds is symbolic of its arbitrary provisions. The Act was introduced as a Money Bill in the Lok Sabha and passed by it after rejecting five amendments proposed by the Rajya Sabha despite completely lacking the character of a Money Bill. At the outset, the law related to Money Bills needs to be clear. Article 109 of the Constitution lays down a special procedure with respect to Money Bills and Article 110 lays down strict criteria as to the categorisation of a Bill as a Money Bill. Clause (I) of Article 110 defines what will constitute a Money Bill. However, as per clause (2), the mere inclusion of some provisions relating to the matters listed in Clause (I) cannot transform the character of a Bill from an ordinary one to a Money Bill. Even more recently, the pull of the Upper House was bypassed in a distinct fashion by passing the controversial three farm Bills through a voice vote despite all repeated demand for division of votes. This can only be termed as a “fraud on the constitutional values”. In the present case though, even those “provisions” were absent. The question, therefore, of whether a statute violates the provision of the Constitution is one of illegality and open to judicial review. It is another matter that the next election cycle is around the corner — so many of them have passed ad interim – yet, the constitutional challenge to electoral bonds is waiting to be heard before the Supreme Court after nearly three years. Even more recently, the Upper House was bypassed in a distinct fashion by passing the controversial three farm Bills through a voice vote despite repeated demand for division of votes. This can only be termed as a “fraud on the constitutional values”.
The Lok Sabha, in effect, if not in form, begins to serve as an executive, rather than a legislative (which it is ideally supposed to be) organ. The Lower House, inter alia, is, therefore, swayed by public passions, engrossed in ugly equations of electoral politics and eventually results into the epitome of majoritarianism.
Donald J. was in India when the Delhi riots broke out, despite attempts reportedly made to get them going after he had left the country. Does not look like anybody need have bothered. The US president is no stranger to setting his bully boys on largely peaceful protestors as in Portland, Oregon. He wouldn’t have minded.
Hundreds of people, who had gathered outside the London Central Criminal Court, celebrated the denial of the US plea to extradite Julian Assange. The verdict was a relief to Assange’s family and supporters There were also voices of caution due to the judge accepting most of the prosecution’s arguments.
Monday, January 4, 2021
Sunday, January 3, 2021
Tractor march on Jan 6, 26, if demands not met: KMSC "Our demands are the same as before-repeal the three farm laws & guarantee MSP. If our demands aren't met, then, we'll hold tractor march on Jan 6 and also on Jan 26," said Sukhwinder S Sabra, Joint Secy, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab ahead of seventh round of talks with government.
Ahead of their talks with the government, the farmer leaders reiterated their demands on Sunday. “Our demands remain the same. The farm laws must be repealed. The two amendments need to be rolled back and the government must listen. Our agitation will continue,” Jageer Singh Dalewal, a Bharat Kisan Union member said. They even threatened to shut malls and petrol pumps if the Monday’s talks with the Centre fail. The Agriculture Ministry officials too worked over the weekend to prepare for the next round of talks. An official said the government is “extremely concerned” and wants a “positive outcome”.
HOPE FLOATS, RESISTANCE THRIVES. THEY ARE GOOD ARMOUR TO MEET 2021 WITH. Then, there is poetry. There is verse and songs from the protests. Or Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise”, William Ernest Henley’s historic “Invictus” or then come home to Sahir Ludhianvi, whose birth centenary it is in 2021. An icon among Indian poet-lyricists, he wrote 50 years ago in the poem “Khoon Phir Khoon Hai”:
A Year of Losses but Hope Floats, Resistance Rises | NewsClick
“Zulm ki baat hi kya, zulm ki aukat hi kya,
Zulm bas zulm hai, aaghaaz se anjaam tak,
Khoon phir khoon hai, so shakl badal sakta hai,
Aisi shaklen ke mitaao to mitaaye na bane,
Aise shole ke bujhaao to bhujaaye na bane,
Aise naare ke dabaoo to dabaaye na bane”
(What is oppression, what is its standing,
Oppression is but oppression, from beginning to end,
Blood is still blood, it can take myriad forms,
Such forms that cannot be erased,
Such embers that cannot be extinguished,
Such slogans that cannot be repressed.)
The author is a senior Mumbai-based journalist and columnist who writes on politics, cities, media and gender. The views are personal.
RESISTANCE DRAWS FROM HOPE, HOPE FUELS THEIR CONTINUED RESISTANCE. **************************************************This is akin to the hope that some of the oldest women in Shaheen Bagh held out last year. Bilkis Dadi was amused to find herself a celebrity in the international media. Shaheen Bagh—and the other baghs that sprung up across India in solidarity—changed the self-congratulatory narrative of the Modi government last year. Farmers, including thousands of women, have done it this winter. This resistance has taken on not only the government but also powerful corporates of the country. When a few states made inter-religious marriage illegal and criminal, inter-faith couples narrated their heart-warming stories in the public domain, pushing back the malicious “love jihad” narrative.
The battery of lawyers starting from the Court of Pune, Bombay High Court, to Apex court and from prison to hospital has been a strong force in these two and half years of an exhausting battle. In normal course what is considered as “not a lawyers job” did not dissuade them from extending their unconditional support.
The Romila Thapar case, presented an opportunity to the Judiciary to retain control over the arrogance of the power. Alas it is turning out to be yet another ADM Jabalpur moment for the nation. What followed thereafter over period of more than two years, encouraged State and Non-State actors to assault its opponents in the most brazen manner.
Located about 150 km apart, two mosques and the adjoining homes of Muslim families were vandalised on Tuesday (December 29) afternoon as rallies of right wing groups, organised with the aim of collecting funds for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, swept through Mandsaur and Indore districts of Madhya Pradesh.
The struggle of the farmers and their movement is now being shown on film after being presented in a newspaper. It has two objectives: the first is that cinema is a powerful medium which enables a greater reach; secondly, people who cannot read newspapers can understand what the movement is through cinema; why it exists, what are the issues, what is its inspiration?
Saturday, January 2, 2021
The state of India is no different. India has the dubious distinction of having the second largest number of Covid cases after the United States with the number exceeding 10 million. Nearly 1,50,000 people have died due to the virus. The unplanned and hasty lockdown imposed by the Modi government plunged the economy into a deep crisis. The destruction of the economy saw millions of migrant workers trekking back to their faraway villages stalked by hunger and disease. This was mass misery inflicted by a callous government.
THE Latin term `annus horribilis’ (horrible year) has been widely and understandably used to define the year 2020 which had just ended. This is a natural description of an unprecedented year, which has seen a global pandemic – the corona virus pandemic – the comparable scale of which happened a full century ago when the “Spanish flu” caused worldwide havoc in 1918-1919.
The global pandemic also brought out in sharp relief the contradictions and the social and economic inequalities which exist in our societies. Amidst the economic depression, the super-rich have got richer. The profits of the financial corporations have zoomed up while millions have been plunged into joblessness, poverty and hunger.
It not just the example of Arya, state committee member of SFI, CPI(M) leadership in Kerala has set an epochal trend in the state by fielding several leaders belonging to SFI and DYFI and most of them emerged victorious. SFI leaders like Gayathri S Babu and S S Sharanya were also elected as the councillors in Trivandrum Corporation.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS 09:01 AMFarmers continue to hold sit-in protest at Ghazipur (Delhi-UP border) 07:48 AMKarnataka govt to assist farmers double their income, says CM Yediyurappa 06:33 AMPunjab CM could have prevented the farm laws from being passed: AAP 12:32 AMPunjab farmers send legal notices to 3 BJP leaders for defaming their agitation 10:13 PMCongress leaders in Rajasthan to protest against farm laws tomorrow 08:42 PMFarmer impasse likely to be resolved on Monday 07:54 PM75-year-old farmer protesting against agri laws kills self at Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border 06:35 PMWill hold tractor parade towards Delhi on Jan 26 if demands not met: Farmer unions 05:27 PMFarmers to march into Delhi on Jan 26 if demands not met: Samyukt Kisan Morcha 04:09 PMGovt's commitment to welfare of farmers unparalleled: Javadekar Farmer protestA farmer shout slogans during a protest against farm bills at Singhu Border in New Delhi on Thursday. Farmers' protest LIVE updates Day 37: Hardening their position ahead of the next round of talks with the government, protesting farmer unions on Saturday said they will take out a tractor parade towards Delhi on January 26, when the country will celebrate Republic Day, if their demands are not met. The union leaders said the time has come for "decisive" action as their demands have not been addressed by the government yet. A 75-year-old farmer protesting against the Centre's new agri laws allegedly hanged himself at the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border in Ghazipur. The farmers have been demanding the withdrawal of the three laws and legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) which is declared every year by the Centre for 23 crops while the government has assured them that it will accept their two more demands related to stubble burning and electricity subsidies. Farmers' protest is going on at Singhu border, Tikri border and Ghazipur border amid severe cold condition in Delhi and NCR. Stay tuned for latest updates on farmers' protest CATCH ALL THE LIVE UPDATES Auto Refresh 09:01 AM Farmers continue to hold sit-in protest at Ghazipur (Delhi-UP border) 07:48 AM Karnataka govt to assist farmers double their income, says CM Yediyurappa Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Saturday said that the state government is working towards "enabling farmers to double their income" as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his inaugural address at the Horticulture Mela organised by the University of Horticulture, Bagalkote, Yediyurappa said that government intends to introduce new technologies in value addition, processing, storage and packaging of horticulture produce in collaboration with Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) and Indian Institute of Horticulture. He also assured that the government would take all necessary steps to consider Horticulture as an industry. 06:33 AM Punjab CM could have prevented the farm laws from being passed: AAP The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday said Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh could have prevented the farm laws from being passed in Parliament if he wanted but did not do so. AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the Punjab Chief Minister is trying to protect his son from the Enforcement Directorate lens and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also helping the Punjab CM in his tactics." 12:32 AM Punjab farmers send legal notices to 3 BJP leaders for defaming their agitation Punjab-based farmers have sent legal notices to Union Minister Giriraj Singh, Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel and BJP leader Ram Madhav for their alleged defamatory/ derogatory statement regarding ongoing agitation at various Delhi borders against the agriculture laws. Farmers have sent the notices seeking an unconditional apology and unambiguous withdrawal of the alleged defamatory and derogatory statements made by the three leaders, ANI reported. Statements by several political leaders have not issued in good faith or with responsibility, but mala fide intent and for oblique motives to further vested interests and defame the protesting farmers, read the notice. A farmer from Amritsar, Jaskaran Singh Bandesha through notice to Giriraj Singh stated that farmers relentlessly giving their blood and sweat for the entire nation, and are widely considered to be the backbone of the entire country's economy and the agricultural system. 10:13 PM Congress leaders in Rajasthan to protest against farm laws tomorrow Several leaders from Rajasthan Congress including Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, party's state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasara, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot will stage a protest at Jaipur's Shaheed Smarak demanding the repeal of new agriculture laws. Meanwhile, a number of farmers are protesting at different sites in the state against the contentious Acts. Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) has also withdrawn support from the NDA against these acts. Farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital for over a month 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. 08:42 PM Farmer impasse likely to be resolved on Monday After the last meeting of the government and farmers led to positivity and breaking of bread together, it appears that the over month-long deadlock may be resolved on Monday. Sources on both sides have indicated a thaw with a meeting ground on some of the most contentious issues emerging. The government may well be ready to offer amendments to the MSP and APMC issues in writing, IANS reported. As per the government and farmer sources, Monday will see a big breakthrough after more than six rounds of talks between the two parties have been held. The sticking points of MSP being retained and APMC may well see a resolution. In addition, at the 'mandis', the private players who are procuring will not be able to procure below the MSP. The dispute redressal system between the private players and the farmers will not be done by the SDM anymore. These have been some of the major demands of the farmers. Farmers do not want to be dragged out of their workplaces to run around needlessly to sort out issues. 07:54 PM 75-year-old farmer protesting against agri laws kills self at Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border A 75-year-old farmer protesting against the Centre's new agri laws allegedly hanged himself at the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border in Ghazipur on Saturday morning. Sardar Kashmir Singh, a native of Bilaspur in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district, hanged himself in a mobile toilet using a rope, police said. Deputy Superintendent of Police of Indirapuram Anshu Jain told PTI that a suicide note written in Gurumukhi was found on him. Singh wrote in the suicide note that the government must repeal these farm laws as these are against the interests of farmers, according to a leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). The BKU and several other farmer unions have been spearheading the protest against the legislations at various border points of Delhi for over a month now. In the purported suicide note, Singh expressed anguish that though some people from Punjab died during the agitation, no one from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand has sacrificed his life for the cause. 06:35 PM Will hold tractor parade towards Delhi on Jan 26 if demands not met: Farmer unions Hardening their position ahead of the next round of talks with the government, protesting farmer unions on Saturday said they will take out a tractor parade towards Delhi on January 26, when the country will celebrate Republic Day, if their demands are not met. Addressing a press conference, the union leaders said time has come for "decisive" action as their demands have not been addressed by the government yet. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade at Rajpath on January 26. Farmer leader Darshan Pal Singh said their proposed parade will be called "Kisan Parade" and it will be be held after the Republic Day parade. The next round of talks between the government and the protesting farmer unions is scheduled to be held on January 4. On Friday, the unions had announced that they would have to take firm steps if the meeting fails to resolve the deadlock. After the press conference, farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar told PTI that farm unions are hopeful for the January 4 meeting, but they cannot trust the government going by their experience with them. 05:27 PM Farmers to march into Delhi on Jan 26 if demands not met: Samyukt Kisan Morcha
Will hold tractor parade towards Delhi on Jan 26 if demands not met: Farmer unions Hardening their position ahead of the next round of talks with the government, protesting farmer unions on Saturday said they will take out a tractor parade towards Delhi on January 26, when the country will celebrate Republic Day, if their demands are not met. Addressing a press conference, the union leaders said time has come for "decisive" action as their demands have not been addressed by the government yet. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade at Rajpath on January 26. Farmer leader Darshan Pal Singh said their proposed parade will be called "Kisan Parade" and it will be be held after the Republic Day parade. The next round of talks between the government and the protesting farmer unions is scheduled to be held on January 4. On Friday, the unions had announced that they would have to take firm steps if the meeting fails to resolve the deadlock. After the press conference, farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar told PTI that farm unions are hopeful for the January 4 meeting, but they cannot trust the government going by their experience with them.
Punjab farmers send legal notices to 3 BJP leaders for defaming their agitation Punjab-based farmers have sent legal notices to Union Minister Giriraj Singh, Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel and BJP leader Ram Madhav for their alleged defamatory/ derogatory statement regarding ongoing agitation at various Delhi borders against the agriculture laws. Farmers have sent the notices seeking an unconditional apology and unambiguous withdrawal of the alleged defamatory and derogatory statements made by the three leaders, ANI reported. Statements by several political leaders have not issued in good faith or with responsibility, but mala fide intent and for oblique motives to further vested interests and defame the protesting farmers, read the notice. A farmer from Amritsar, Jaskaran Singh Bandesha through notice to Giriraj Singh stated that farmers relentlessly giving their blood and sweat for the entire nation, and are widely considered to be the backbone of the entire country's economy and the agricultural system.
According to the centre’s last Agriculture Census report of 2015-16, the percentage of big farmers in Punjab is only 5%, which means that the present procurement system has benefited mostly small and marginal farmers, which according to census data account for a whopping 33.1% in the state having holdings below 2 hectares, while 33.6 percent are semi-medium (below 4 hectares) and remaining are medium landholding farmers.
The far-right BJP government’s callous imposition of a strict lockdown without preparations to cater to the migrant workers in the cities who depend on daily wages had triggered an unprecedented forced mass-migration. This pushed tens of thousands to walk hundreds of kilometers back to their villages. Dozens died on the road. The government also took advantage of the pandemic to scrap labor laws and deregulate the trade of agricultural commodities. On November 26, despite heavy repression and arrests of trade union leaders, 250 million workers were mobilized by ten central trade unions in what turned out to be arguably the largest general strike in human history. On the same day, hundreds of thousands of farmers from neighboring states arrived at the borders of Delhi, braving tear-gas, water cannons and baton charge by police as they broke the barricades erected on their way.
The ILO estimates that the global labor income has seen a 10.7% decline, compared to the same period in 2019, which itself saw the slowest economic growth since the 2008-09 crisis. This decline translates into a global labor income loss of US$3.5 trillion, which equals 5.5% of the world’s GDP during this period.
From the over 1,100 strikes in the US, averaging over three a day, to history’s largest known general strike witnessed in India, labor actions across continents in 2020 demonstrated the firm refusal of the working class to passively accept on to its shoulders the burden of an unprecedented economic that has been intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under reported pressure from ally Bharatiya Janata Party, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has allegedly been forced to remove senior IAS officer Amir Subhani, principal Home Secretary, considered most trusted and faithful to him. Ironically, Subhani is replaced by Senthil K Kumar, an IAS who had earlier been suspended following corruption charges, as new state home secretary.
The opposition parties, part of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu, held a one day hunger strike on December 18 in solidarity with the protesting farmers. Earlier in the week, the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) held sit-in protests in front of all district collector offices demanding the repeal of the laws and has called for a massive rally on December 29.
ndia is one of the five deadliest countries for media workers across the world, according to a recent report by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF). As per the report, 50 journalists were killed worldwide during 2020 because of their work. The five countries topping the list for being the most dangerous for journalists according to RSF are Mexico, Iraq, Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan.
Friday, January 1, 2021
CLASS IMPLICATIONS **************************************************In addition to the global crisis, the Indian economy was in a tailspin as a consequence of both the demonetisation and GST implementation leading to a consistent decline in the GDP growth rate over the last few years. The Indian ruling classes were in search for further avenues to maintain and maximise their levels of profit in the background of the recession of the Indian economy, the impact of the Covid pandemic and the unplanned abrupt lockdown. The bourgeois-landlord ruling classes in India, led by the big bourgeoisie, using the trajectory of neo-liberal economic reforms has been further consolidating its efforts for maximisation of profits. The loot of national assets, the large-scale privatisation of the public sector, the handing over of all public wealth like mines etc., and public services to the private sector accompanied by abrogation of labour rights are a part of this process. This ongoing historic struggle of the peasantry has sharply brought out the efforts by the leadership of the Indian ruling classes to acquire corporate control over agriculture for its profit maximisation. A new class conflict is, thus, arising between the big bourgeoisie, in collaboration with international finance capital and the entire peasantry, including the rich peasants and landlords. Secondly, conflicts amongst the ruling class partners are also emerging between the big bourgeoisie, on the one hand, and the non-big bourgeoisie, particularly those belonging to the MSME sector, on the other. Thirdly, BJP’s drive to establish its complete political hegemony in the country by destroying the federal structure of our Constitution and, in its place, erect a unitary State structure is creating conflicts between the central government and elected state governments. Some regional parties, who head state governments, who were supporters of the BJP in the Parliament and those who vacillated and remained largely neutral in their support to the BJP in the Parliament, are being forced by this hegemonic drive of the BJP to come out in opposition, particularly during this ongoing kisan struggle. The emergence of such conflicts amongst the ruling class partners creates possibilities that must be utilised by the exploiting classes, particularly the working class, poor peasantry and agricultural labour, to intensify the class battles against the bourgeois-landlord class order. Such possibilities for advancing the class struggle have emerged with the growing coordination between the working-class trade union movement, peasantry and the agricultural labour. Such developments began much earlier and since 2018 made significant advances through joint movements of these sections. The November 26 all-India general strike call by the central trade unions converged with the calls by the kisan organisations on November 26-27 and the call for `Delhi Chalo’. This growing unity in struggles will, surely, be strengthened further in the coming period. Simultaneously, this period of intense class offensive mounted by the ruling classes along with the sharpening of communal polarisation and the undermining of the Indian Constitution is laying the ground for growing popular struggles against the policies of the present BJP central government. Such joint united struggles as well as the struggles on independent demands of different sections of the people like women, students, youth, dalits, tribals are bound to intensify in the coming period. These must be further strengthened. The BJP’s efforts to intensify the class offensive against the Indian people must be met and challenged by counter-class offensive by the exploited classes and sections of our people.
AGGRESSIVE PURSUIT OF NEO-LIBERALISM ********************************************************** With the global economy continuing to be in a state of recession, the neo-liberal reform trajectory has exposed itself as being totally bankrupt in offering any solution to overcome this crisis. The scrambling for predatory profit maximisation under capitalism, thus, intensifies. The BJP central government is aggressively pursuing the neo-liberal reform trajectory to provide greater opportunities for profit maximisation by the corporates. This requires the takeover of newer areas of economic activity and newer markets. The current efforts for complete corporate control – both foreign and domestic – over agriculture through these Agri-Laws is aimed to achieve this objective. The BJP central government has, thus, become the prime agent for the consolidation of the ruling classes in India and implementing reforms that serve their class interests.
COMMUNAL POLARISATION TO DIVERT ATTENTION ************************************ In an effort to divert the country’s attention away from these massive peaceful protests, the BJP, through its state governments, is vigorously sharpening communal polarisation. The ‘Love Jihad’ laws enacted by the Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh state governments and the `Cow Protection’ laws are being utilised to harass, intimidate and rouse communal passions. In Madhya Pradesh, in Ujjain, Indore and various other places, communal tensions are being stoked. These will have a disastrous destabilising impact in the country.
TARGETING OPPOSITION PARTY STATE GOVERNMENTS PM Modi mounts a completely ill-informed attack against opposition state governments, particularly the LDF government in Kerala, that they are not looking after the interests of the farmers, yet opposing the central laws. Nailing the PM’s lies regarding Kerala, the All India Kisan Sabha has effectively debunked this false propaganda. Kerala provides handsome subsidies per hectare for paddy, vegetables, pulses, bananas etc. Eighty two per cent of cultivated area in Kerala produces cash crops whose prices are guaranteed by commodity boards with an auction system under the state government.
IMPLEMENTING SWAMINATHAN COMMISSION REPORT? PM Modi claims that his government has been implementing the Swaminathan Commission recommendation on MSP. The truth is that the Swaminathan Commission recommended an MSP of C2+50 per cent. At best, the government gives MSP at A2+imputed value of family labour+50 per cent. The difference between the two is significant. While A2 is the actual paid out cost, C2 includes A2, the imputed value of family labour, interest on the value of owned capital assets, rent paid for leased-in land and the rental value of owned land. The central government, thus, negates the Swaminathan Commission recommendation on MSP apart from ignoring all other suggestions. The CPI(M) 2019 election manifesto contains in the section on ‘agricultural reforms’, the first point demanding the legal right to sell at MSP to all farmers. Since at least 2017, this was being raised by the CPI(M) MPs in the Parliament, but till date, the central government has not enacted such a law. Further, the MSP must include all agricultural crops and cover all the farmers. At present, it only covers six per cent of the farmers. Further, an MSP without an efficient procurement mechanism is meaningless. So, the procurement system, both public and private, must be made universal all over the country.
DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN In order to discredit this massive united protest in this severe cold wave in the most peaceful and disciplined manner, the BJP and the central government led by PM Modi have embarked upon a vicious disinformation campaign. First, they were levelling the protestors as being Khalistanis, Pakistanis, Chinese agents, urban naxals, tukde tukde gang etc. Then came the calumny that it is the opposition parties who are misleading the farmers. The fact remains that this protest is being organised and conducted by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a combine of more than 500 kisan organisations from all over the country with no involvement of any political party. PM Modi is personally leading such a campaign alleging, amongst others, that the opposition parties have all spoken for agrarian reforms in their election manifesto’s but are now opposing for the sake of opposition. Yes, as far as CPI(M) is concerned, we have always sought agrarian reforms as many other parties also did. But what type of reforms? The CPI(M) seeks reforms in order to strengthen India’s food security, produce enough grains to feed our people ensuring their proper nutrition and health, to provide an affordable remuneration to our farmers ensuring a reasonable price for the consumers by strengthening the public distribution system(PDS) and a further development of our agricultural sector. PM Modi’s reforms, however, as contained in the present laws, are to handover Indian agriculture, its markets and its produce to multinational agro-business giants, foreign and domestic corporates, severely jeopardising India’s food security; permitting large-scale hoarding of essential commodities, thus, creating artificial food shortages leading to massive price rise; dismantling of PDS and the provisioning of foodgrains at affordable prices. These laws destroy Indian agriculture while imposing greater miseries on our people. This is why many secular opposition parties have opposed these bills, supported and extend solidarity with the kisan protests and call upon the government to accept these demands and bring in reforms that provide prosperity and welfare for Indian people, not super-profits to foreign and domestic corporates.
By all counts, the numbers of kisans at Delhi’s borders, on all national highways entering Delhi, are growing displaying a remarkable resoluteness and determination to achieve their demands. Kisans have come from all neighbouring states of Delhi, including also from far-away states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttarakhand etc. In many other parts, in almost every state, the peasantry is organising continuous protest actions in all states, from Patna and Raipur to Gulbarga and Thanjavur. This kisan struggle is admirably being supported with active solidarity by the working class and its trade union movement. All other sections of the society – women, student, youth – have also rallied in support of the kisans – the country’s annadatas. The demands of this protest action are completely reasonable and any rational government would have accepted it. All that is being asked from the central government is to repeal these laws now (to avoid pressures of such a possibility, amongst others, the central government cancelled the winter session of the Parliament abdicating its responsibility to be answerable and accountable) and then discuss with the farmers, the agricultural community, the corporates, all stakeholders and on that basis frame new laws and enact them in the Parliament after a structured discussion and debate. This is what PM Modi obstinately refuses to do.
ONCE again, the talks between the central government and representatives of the kisan organisations today (December 30) failed to resolve the main issues on which these unprecedented kisan protests are taking place. The central government refused to consider the repeal of these Agri-Laws but has apparently agreed to reconsider the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and remove kisans from the Pollution Act. Another round of talks is scheduled for January 4, 2021. The BJP central government’s continued obduracy regarding the repeal of the three Agri-Laws prolongs the deadlock in the ongoing huge peaceful kisan protests.
The CPI(M) 2019 election manifesto contains in the section on ‘agricultural reforms’, the first point demanding the legal right to sell at MSP to all farmers. Since at least 2017, this was being raised by the CPI(M) MPs in the Parliament, but till date, the central government has not enacted such a law. Further, the MSP must include all agricultural crops and cover all the farmers. At present, it only covers six per cent of the farmers. Further, an MSP without an efficient procurement mechanism is meaningless. So, the procurement system, both public and private, must be made universal all over the country.
Seeking to mount pressure on the government ahead of the upcoming round of talks on Monday, the farmers’ unions on Friday said they would further intensify their protests during next two weeks, beginning January 6, if their core demands - repeal of three central farm laws and legal guarantee to MSP – are not met in the meeting. A day after announcing that an alternative to repeal of laws was not feasible, th
A 35-year-old farmer died by suicide over alleged harassment by an electricity distribution company at a village in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur. In a note that the farmer, Munendra Rajput, left behind, he requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hand over his body to the government to "sell every part of my body and repay dues".
The protesting farmers will intensify their agitation at Delhi borders if the centre declines their demands of a repeal of the three agriculture laws and giving legal status to the minimum support price guarantee in the next round of talks, scheduled on January 4, politician Yogendra Yadav, speaking on behalf of the farmers' unions, informed on Friday.
As the seventh round of talks between the famer groups and the central government will be held on Monday, farmer groups said on Friday that they would intensify their agitation if the government failed to resolve their demands for the repeal of the three controversial farm reforms and a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) during the meeting.
Justice D.Y. Chandrachud in Shafin Jahan vs K.M.Asokan (2018) held: “The choice of a partner whether within or outside marriage lies within the exclusive domain of each individual. Intimacies of marriage lie within a core zone of privacy, which is inviolable….The Constitution guarantees to each individual the right freely to practise, profess and propagate religion.”
KERALA - Moving the resolution, CM Pinarayi Vijayan said the central Farm Laws have been brought about to help the corporates. “The three contentious agriculture laws were passed even without sending them to the standing committee of the Parliament. If this agitation continues, it will severely affect Kerala, which is a consumer state,” he said.
मोदी सरकार द्वारा किया गया एक और दावा ग़लत पाया गया है। अब पता चला है कि सरकार ने नए कृषि कानूनों को लागू करने से पहले किसीनों की सलाह नहीं ली थी। इस बात का ख़ुलासा एनडीटीवी द्वारा दायर की गई एक आरटीआई से हुआ है। इससे पहले सरकार दावा करती आई है कि उसने कृषि कानून लाने से पहले किसानों के साथ बातचीत की थी।
योगी सरकार द्वारा बनाया गया विवादस्पद धर्मांतरण विरोधी अध्यादेश उत्तर प्रदेश के लिए संकट बन गया है। इस अध्यादेश की वजह से राज्य में नफ़रत और कट्टरता को बढ़ावा मिला है। ये बात 100 से अधिक पूर्व नौकरशाहों ने सूबे के मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ को एक पत्र लिखकर कही है। पत्र लिखने वालों में पूर्व राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा सलाहकार शिवशंकर मेनन, पूर्व विदेश सचिव निरुपमा राव, प्रधानमंत्री के पूर्व सलाहकार टीकेए नायर भी शामिल हैं।
बीते साल मोदी सरकार द्वारा लाए गए नागरिकता संशोधन कानून और एनआरसी के खिलाफ देशभर में विरोध प्रदर्शन किए गए थे। इस दौरान देश की राजधानी दिल्ली में कई विरोध प्रदर्शन भी हुए, जिनको डिस्टर्ब करने के लिए कई बार हिंसा की कोशिश की गई। कहीं फायरिंग तो कहीं पत्थरबाजी भी हुई। ऐसे ही एक हिंसक वारदात का चेहरा बना दिल्ली का कपिल गुर्जर, जो शाहीन बाग के प्रदर्शनकारियों पर गोली चला रहा था।
Three Bills on agriculture reforms – The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 – were introduced in the Parliament on September 14 to replace the ordinances issued during the lockdown.
What are the three Bills? The Bills which aim to change the way agricultural produce is marketed, sold and stored across the country were initially issued in the form of ordinances in June. They were then passed by voice-vote in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during the delayed monsoon session this month, despite vociferous Opposition protest. The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, allows farmers to sell their harvest outside the notified Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis without paying any State taxes or fees. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, facilitates contract farming and direct marketing. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, deregulates the production, storage, movement and sale of several major foodstuffs, including cereals, pulses, edible oils and onion, except in the case of extraordinary circumstances. The government hopes the new laws will provide farmers with more choice, with competition leading to better prices, as well as ushering in a surge of private investment in agricultural marketing, processing and infrastructure.
On September 27, 2020, the President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to three agriculture bills — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.
Despite reaching an agreement on exempting farmers from the penal provisions of stubble burning under an ordinance on air quality in the capital, the Centre does not plan to take action until all other issues with protesting farmers groups are also resolved. Asked about the timeline to amend the ordinance, Agriculture Ministry officials noted that only an “in-principle” agreement has been reached during Wednesday’s negotiations with protesting farmer leaders.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly today unanimously passed a resolution seeking the withdrawal of all the three contentious agricultural laws enacted hurriedly by parliament in September. "At a time when the agricultural sector is facing a major crisis, the Central government has introduced and passed three new laws in Parliament that will have a major impact on the agricultural sector," said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
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