Kisan rally: Mahendra Singh Tikait's union rattles Delhi again after 30 yrs

30 years after Mahendra Singh Tikait, the founder of Bhartiya Kisan Union, led a massive protest by farmers at the Boat Club, his son is leading another rally against govt's apathy towards farmers.

Business Standard : Thirty years after lakhs of farmers led by Mahendra Singh Tikait occupied the lawns of the Boat Club for several days, farmers led by his sons have rattled New Delhi once again. But this time around, the farmers have not been allowed to enter the capital.

Thousands of protesting farmers from north India, under the banner of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, began the Kisan Kranti Yatra on September 23 from Haridwar. On Tuesday, when they reached the border of Delhi, as was their plan, the police stood in their path with barricades, water cannons, tear gas, and lathis. The farmers had planned to reach Kisan ghat, conclude their protest and hand over their memorandum of demands to representatives of the government.

They were told by the police that they would not be allowed to enter Delhi. When the farmers insisted that they be allowed to proceed to Kisan ghat, the police launched a brutal attack. The farmers were lathi charged and tear gas shells were lobbed. Several farmers were injured grievously in the police action.

The police have claimed that it was because the protestors turned violent. “Some protestors resorted to stone pelting and wielded batons causing injuries to police personnel deployed on duty. Under these circumstances, only minimum required force was used to contain these aggressive and violent protestors,” the police said.

The BKU has denied this. “We only insisted that we be allowed to go to Kisan ghat. We had been marching peacefully for the last ten days. Why will we resort to violence now at the last step? We never want any confrontation. Tell me this, we are farmers and we are making some demands of our government. If our government won’t listen to us, where should we go? Should we go to Pakistan or Bangladesh?” Mahendra Singh Tikait’s son Naresh Tikait asked. Tikait is the president of the BKU, and chaudhary (leader) of the Balyan khap, which is influential in western UP.

The police action was widely criticised by the political class, from even within the NDA camp. From the opposition, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal issued statements in support of the farmers and criticised the BJP at the Centre for the police action.

Mayawati said, “This is the height of the BJP government’s anarchy and it shall remain prepared to bear its consequences.”

“On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJP’s two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now, the farmers cannot even air the grievances coming to the capital,” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.

A delegation of BJP leaders led by home minister Rajnath Singh met the farmer leaders and assured them that all the demands will be considered. However, the BKU has rejected the government’s assurances....Read More

Kerala rains: Toll rises to 79; PM asks MoD to step up relief & rescue ops

At least 79 people have perished, 25 of them on Thursday, since August 8 in Kerala's heaviest rain in almost 94 years.

Kerala Flood : At least 79 people have perished, 25 of them on Thursday, since August 8 in Kerala's heaviest rain in almost 94 years. The heavy rain, gusty winds, and the deluge has already destroyed more than 20,000 houses. As a result, more than 150,000 people are lodged in relief across the state. Kochi metro services have stopped, Kochi Airport closed till Saturday, and train services suspended between Chalakkudy and Aluva. Almost 10,000 km long roads have damaged in the ongoing monsoon in Kerala, according to NDTV.

The danger, just like the rain, isn't over. The IMD has issued red alerts in all districts for the next 24 hours. The weather department has warned of heavy rain accompanied with gusty winds with a speed up to 60 km per hour in all the 14 districts of the state, PTI reported.

ALSO READ:Kerala rain: Death toll rises to 67, Kochi airport shut; red alert issued

Power supply, communication systems and distribution of drinking water have been disrupted in various parts of the state in the rain mayhem which Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has described as the 'worse' natural calamity the state has seen in the longest time.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked the Defence Ministry to further step up relief and rescue operations across Kerala which is facing a severe flood situation. He also spoke with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan again this morning. According to an NDTV report, airlifting of stranded people has begun.

"We discussed the flood situation in the state. Have asked Defence Ministry to further step up the rescue and relief operations across the state. Praying for the safety and well-being of the people of Kerala," the PM tweeted.

Reeling under the unprecedented havoc, the Kerala government on Tuesday decided to do away with the 'Onam' celebrations this year and instead utilise the amount for relief operations. Officials said a holiday has been declared for educational institutions in all districts barring Kasaragod tomorrow while colleges and universities have postponed exams.

Vijayan said the heavy rains would continue for some more days, which will further worsen the situation.



Article Source BS

Farmers' strike in MP to increase veggie prices; BJP dubs it Cong agitation

During the 10-day strike, starting from June 6 no eatables would be supplied from villages to cities in Madhya Pradesh, due to which cities are set to see a shortage of items like vegetables and milk.

Farmers Strike :On the first anniversary of the death of seven farmers due to beating and firing by police in Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh on June 6 last year, the farmers are going to launch "Gaon Bandh" (village blockade) agitation from Friday, said a farmer representative on Thursday.

During the period, no eatables would be supplied from villages to cities in the state. Although the state government has made arrangements to minimise the impact of agitation, cities are set to see shortage of items like vegetables and milk.

Chief of Aam Kisan Union, Kedar Sirohi told IANS that the agitation enjoys the support of more than 150 farmers organisation. Besides, all 50 Panchayats of the state have also announced to fight for the rights of farmers.

"The government responds to the rightful demands of the farmers with lathis and bullets. June 6 is a black day for farmers. Nothing will be supplied by villages to cities for the next 10 days, neither will anything be brought from the cities during the period," Sirohi said.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who reached Bhopal on Thursday, however, dubbed the farmers' agitation as an agitation of the Congress party.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state is working for the welfare of farmers and it has taken several big decisions in their interest," he said.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi 's rally in Mandsaur on June 6, Singh said, "He does such things during elections.

"The Congress ruled for 60 years. Why it did not improve farmers' conditions then? What good it has done for farmers?" Singh added.

BJP Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh Prabhat Jha also said that the Congress was solely responsible for the violence during last year's agitation.

Read More