Farmers Protest highlights: Agitation to go on as Kisan Mahapanchayat firm on demands

Farmers have gathered in Lucknow for the 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' to press for a law on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri. Yesterday, agitating farmers shot off a letter to PM Modi asking him to start talks with them on other issues. Stay tuned for more updates.

Assuring MSP will drive India to bankruptcy, says Anil Ghanwat

The demand to extend the minimum support price (MSP) to 23 crops -- if agreed -- will drive the country to bankruptcy,Supreme Court-appointed farm panel member Anil GhanwattoldThe Economic Times.

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Kisan Mahapanchayat firm on demands, protests to continue

The Kisan Mahapanchayat in Lucknow on Monday was a firm reiteration of the six-point charter of demands that farmers have submitted to the Prime Minister.

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Farm laws: Ghanwat says will decide on releasing report after analysing 'legal consequences'

Anil J Ghanwat, part of the three-member Supreme Court-appointed committee on farm laws on Monday said he will decide on whether to release the panel's report after analysing the legal consequences and claimed that the two other members have given him the freedom to take a call.

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OPINION | Farm laws rollback will widen Bimaru vs south gap

The repeal of the farm laws will worsen the inequality challenge in the Indian economy because state capacity to drive reforms are significant and rising in the southern states, widening their difference from the Bimaru (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh) states.

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Kisan Mahapanchayat: Lakhimpur incident, MSP, non-payment of dues to sugarcane farmers on agenda

Besides withdrawal of agri laws, many farmers' issues need to be resolved: Tikait

BKU leader RakeshTikaiton Monday said that besides the repealing of the three agri laws, there are many issues of farmers that need to be resolved as a large number of them gathered here for a 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' to press their demands for a legal guarantee for MSP, among other things.

"It seems that after announcing repealing of the three farm laws, the government does not want to speak to the farmers. The government should make it clear that it has repealed the laws in the true sense and talk to us so that we can start moving to our villages,"Tikaittold PTI at the Eco Garden here, the venue for the 'mahapanchayat'.

Farmers eating in the langar system In Lucknow

Kisan Mahapanchayat in Lucknow

BJP leaders should desist from making provocative statements on farm laws: Mayawati

BSP president Mayawati on Monday charged that some BJP leaders were vitiating the atmosphere by their provocative statements on the issue of repeal of farm laws, and asked that they be reined in to instill confidence amongfarmers.

She also demanded that besides the repeal of farm laws, the other demands of the protestingfarmersshould be met by the government so that they can return to their homes. (PTI)

Nihangs and farmers take part in a procession at the Singhu border, one of farmers' agitation sites, in New Delhi. (PTI)

Modi’s farm misadventure will hurt urbanisation

Now that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sacrificed his poorly designed makeover of India’s farms at the altar of electoral math, there will perhaps be no fresh attempt at reform for a decade. That’s a shame for urbanisation.

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The MSP issue is still pending and the Electricity Amendment Bill is also aconcern, discussion should be held on these matters including incidents that took place during agitation. We're not going back before the discussion: Rakesh Tikait (BKU) said ahead of Mahapanchayat in Lucknow.

Kisan Mahapanchayat in Lucknow today

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of the farmers' unions, is slated to hold a Mahapanchayat in Lucknow on Monday to press for a law guaranteeing MSP and seek the dismissal of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son is an accused in the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

The Mahapanchyat will be held at the Eco Garden and had been scheduled before Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the repeal of the three contentious farm laws on November 19.

Despite the Prime Minister's surprise announcement, farmer leaders have maintained the protesters will not budge until the three contentious laws are formally repealed in Parliament. (IANS)

SKM writes open letter to PM listing 6 demands, seeks immediate resumption of talks

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday seeking immediate resumption of talks with the government over their six demands, including a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for all farmers.

The umbrella body of farmers' unions also sought withdrawal of cases against farmers and building a memorial for the protesters who lost their lives during the agitation against the three contentious Central farm laws.

Despite the prime minister's surprise Friday announcement of repealing the three agri laws, farmer leaders have maintained they won't budge until the laws are formally repealed in Parliament. They have also indicated the stir for a statutory guarantee of MSP and withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill will continue. (PTI)

Farmers harden stance, want talks with govt on other demands

Agitating farmers have shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to start talks with them on six other issues, including legal cover for MSP and withdrawal of cases filed against them.

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Farm law repeal: Lessons in democracy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a pre-election address, made the rather unexpected announcement that the three contentious farm laws that his government had rammed through Parliament last year would be repealed in the coming session of Parliament.

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BJP leaders throw spanner in party's efforts to win support of farmers

BJP's hopes to get the support of the farmers after the decision to repeal the contentious farm laws appear to be dashed by its own leaders, who have either hinted at bringing back the laws in future or continued to target the farmer leaders over protests against the farm laws.

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