Gobindh VB
As the second wave of Covid sweeps the country, itâs been 167 days since thousands of farmers arrived and settled along the borders of New Delhi. For more than five months, the farmers, largely from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting against the
three farm bills passed by the central government in September.
On May 11, Balbir Singh Rajewal, the president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal), told
Newslaundry that while itâs difficult to count the number of people presently camped out at the protest sites, about â10,000 farmersâ had made their way to Tikri and Singhu borders on May 10, mainly from Haryana and Punjab.
Covid India: Farmer unions encourage people to ignore curbs
Web report/New Delhi
Farmers shout slogans during a protest in Amritsar, Punjab. Photo: AFP
Leaders accuse government of creating panic under the guise of a second Covid wave.
In what could pose a major challenge for the Indian government and authorities in many northern states, battling the raging Covid crisis, a group of farmer unions in Punjab has decided to encourage people including shopkeepers and traders to ignore the curbs and the lockdowns and also join a protest march to the outskirts of Delhi.
Leaders of 32 farmer unions met under the leadership of Baldev Singh Nihalgarh on Thursday at the Singhu border near Delhi and accused the government of creating a panic under the guise of a second Covid wave.
April 03, 2021
Farmers also plan to protest in front of Central government and BJP leaders’ offices - The Hindu
Farmers also plan to protest in front of Central government and BJP leaders’ offices - The Hindu× Commencement of rabi procurement is just a week away (expected April 10), but no end is in sight to the stand-off between the Centre and the Punjab government over direct payments for the foodgrains procured. Ironically, nobody, including farmers who are ostensibly the beneficiaries of the direct money transfer, is happy with the move.
The Ministry of Consumer Affair, Food and Public Distribution had informed the Punjab government that DBT to farmers is mandatory for the coming rabi wheat procurement season. However, the State has refused to implement it, and has sought appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the issue and defer the scheme for at least one year.