Latest news with #SamyuktaKisanMorcha
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Farmer groups to step up campaign against FTA with U.S.
A general body meeting of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) held in New Delhi on Sunday (July 20, 2025) has warned the Union government against going ahead with the proposed trade agreement with the United States. The SKM said, in a statement on Monday (July 21, 2025), that the general body has also called for nationwide protests against the deal as it could act against the interests of farmers. The SKM will observe August 13 as 'Corporations Quit India Day' and said it seriously apprehends that the Narendra Modi government is surrendering to the diktats of the 'U.S. Imperialism' to sign the free trade agreement (FTA). The SKM said such an agreement could lead to opening up of agriculture, dairy and food markets and that will hurt the interests of the people. 'The FTA is supposed to come into effect by August 1, 2025. August 9 is the 83rd anniversary of the Quit India Day movement against British colonialism. To protest the BJP-led NDA government's moves to accept USA's pressures and increase imports of food and dairy items, including Genetically Modified foods and penetration of multinational corporations in food markets, SKM will issue a mass warning through these mass protests,' the statement said. 'Peasants will raise the slogan 'Corporations Quit India' on August 13 by organising tractor/ motor vehicle parades and protest demonstrations and burn effigies of the US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,' the statement added. The meeting congratulated the leadership of the united trade union movement for the strike action on July 9. 'This was the 22nd general strike since the invention of neo-liberal policies and its success has filled confidence to all the democratic sections in the society that the entire working people are ready to fight back the anti-people policies of the ruling classes,' the statement said.
News18
6 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Bharat Bandh: Will Schools And Colleges Remain Open Tomorrow?
Bharat Bandh on July 9 may disrupt public services, but schools and colleges are expected to remain open, with no official closure notices issued yet. A major nationwide strike, or Bharat Bandh, has been called for Wednesday, July 9, by a joint forum of 10 central trade unions, in collaboration with farmers' and rural workers' organisations. With over 25 crore workers from critical sectors such as banking, transport, postal services, mining, and construction set to participate, the strike is expected to cause widespread disruption in public services. With the strike gaining momentum, many students and parents are wondering whether schools and colleges will remain open. Schools And Colleges To Remain Open Despite the massive scale of the Bharat Bandh, schools, colleges, and private offices are expected to function normally on July 9. Authorities have not announced any closures or exam rescheduling, and no major educational institution has issued a closure notice as of now. While public transport disruptions may cause delays in commuting, educational institutions are not part of the strike, and normal academic activities are likely to continue. Why Is The Bharat Bandh Being Observed? The strike has been called to protest against what organisers describe as 'anti-worker, anti-farmer, and pro-corporate" policies of the central government. Trade unions allege that recent economic and labour reforms have eroded worker rights, weakened job protections, and ignored the demands of the working class. Who Is Participating? The strike has the backing of several major trade unions, including: Farmers' groups, especially the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, and public sector employees from the railways, NMDC Ltd, and steel industries, are also extending their support. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Nara Lokesh draws flak from farmers' unions of his own State for trying to take advantage of Karnataka's ‘pro-farmer stand'
Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh has drawn flak from farmers' organisations in his State for extending an open invitation to the aerospace industry to Andhra Pradesh with an offer of 8,000 acres of ready-to-use land. Mr. Lokesh, son of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, had put out an open invitation to the aerospace industry on social media on Tuesday in a bid to take advantage of the Karnataka government shelving the process of acquisition of 1,777 acres of farmland in Devanahalli taluk, near Bengaluru international airport, for the proposed defence and aerospace park, following stiff resistance from farmers. Farmers' organisations in Andhra Pradesh termed his promise of providing 8,000 acres of land just outside Bengaluru as 'inappropriate' and the struggle by Karnataka's Devanahalli farmers demanding shelving of land acquisition as 'historical'. 'Highly inappropriate' In a statement, Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao, convener of the Andhra Pradesh Farmers' Associations' Coordination Committee and Samyukta Kisan Morcha's Andhra Pradesh unit, said, 'Farmer organisations of Andhra Pradesh strongly object to this highly inappropriate statement. Without the consent of the farmers in the Lepakshi Knowledge Park area and without paying the legally mandated compensation under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act, the government has no authority to give away farmers' land.' Mr. Rao, who had earlier served as Agriculture Minister in the Chandrababu government, defended the demand by Devanahalli farmers to shelve the land acquisition. 'The proposed land acquisition has been strongly opposed by local farmers in a historic struggle. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, respecting the farmers' demands, announced the withdrawal of the proposal.' Tejasvi Surya draws flak Meanwhile, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya has drawn the ire of farmers' leaders from Karnataka for endorsing Mr. Lokesh's statement by posting on social media that 'this is how business is attracted, industry is welcomed and jobs are created. Hope Karnataka Government learns from Nara Lokesh Garu and correct its course.' Mr. Surya deleted his post later. Objecting to this, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha president Badagalapura Nagendra made it clear that farmers were not opposed to industrialisation, but were against acquisition of fertile farmland for industrial projects. Questioning the logic of Mr. Surya, he said: 'The farm sector continues to be the biggest employment generator in the country as it engages nearly 60% of the country's population. There is a dire need to protect the farm sector too.' Mr. Nagendra referred to the impact of losing green spaces around Bengaluru and said that there is increasingly not even adequate water to take care of the city's growing needs. Idea of development KRRS (Collective leadership) president Chukki Nanjundaswamy too took exception to Mr. Surya's statement and maintained that agriculture and development are not contradictory. 'Development does not mean only industrial development. Development of the farming sector is also development,' she said, opposing the view that heeding the demand of farmers to drop acquisition of their fertile and productive farmland for an industrial project, would not make a business sense.
Hans India
16-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Nara Lokesh Invites Aerospace Firms to Andhra Pradesh After Karnataka Drops Devanahalli Project
The Karnataka government has dropped its plan to acquire 1,777 acres of farmland in Devanahalli for an aerospace park near Bengaluru. The decision came after strong protests from local farmers. Soon after, Andhra Pradesh stepped in. Minister Nara Lokesh invited aerospace companies to set up their units in Andhra Pradesh instead. He highlighted that the State has 8,000 acres of land ready near Bengaluru and is offering strong incentives through its aerospace policy. Karnataka's Industries Minister G. Parameshwara responded by saying that the State will not let investors move away. He promised to offer land at other locations within Karnataka to keep the companies from shifting to Andhra Pradesh or other states. However, farmer groups in Andhra Pradesh are also raising objections. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha stated that land in the Lepakshi Knowledge Park area cannot be offered without proper consent and compensation to farmers, as per the Land Acquisition Act. On July 15, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah officially confirmed that the land acquisition in Devanahalli and nearby villages has been fully cancelled. Only farmers who willingly give up land will be included in future plans, and they will be offered higher compensation and developed plots. Dear Aerospace industry, sorry to hear about this. I have a better idea for you. Why don't you look at Andhra Pradesh instead? We have an attractive aerospace policy for you, with best-in-class incentives and over 8000 acres of ready-to-use land (just outside Bengaluru)! Hope to… — Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) July 15, 2025
Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why Siddaramaiah has got a booster as he scraps aerospace park land bid near Bengaluru
The question of whether he will continue as the Karnataka Chief Minister is still up in the air, but Siddaramaiah seems to have just cemented his base among the farming community in the state. On Wednesday, the CM dropped a land acquisition bid by the government for a proposed 1,777 acre high-tech defence and aerospace park in rural Bengaluru's Devanahalli. This came after three-and-a-half years of protests led by farmer unions such as Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, pro-Dalit forums, labour organisations, and literary personalities. The residents of 13 villages in Channarayapatna in rural Bengaluru, where the proposed project was to come up, also joined the protests. The state government has, however, said it would acquire land from those who consent to give their land for any future industrial projects. The now-scrapped proposal in Devanahalli was initiated under the previous BJP government in August 2021. The fertile land — critical for crops like vegetables, fruits, and flowers that supply 30% of Bengaluru's agricultural needs — was key to many farmers' livelihoods, making its acquisition a deeply emotive issue. In 2022, when the farmers launched their protests, Siddaramaiah was the Leader of Opposition and had publicly made a promise to the farmers that he would scrap the acquisition if Congress comes to power. After assuming office, his government's sanction of a final acquisition notification in April 2025 was seen as 'betrayal' by the protesting farmers. The issue ended up gaining momentum, with several leading figures such as actor-politician Prakash Raj, historian Ramachandra Guha, and writer Devanur Mahadeva also joining in to allege that the Congress was prioritising corporates over farmers' interest. This criticism intensified following the 'Devanahalli Chalo' protest on June 25, which gained national attention after police detained protesters, further denting the government's image. Agreeing to the demand to scrap the proposal would bolster Siddaramaiah's image as a 'pro-farmer leader' and bring him respite after a series of setbacks. Last year, the CM was under fire over his family's involvement in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam. In June this year, there was a stampede at Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory parade in Bengaluru. Within the Congress, Siddaramaiah faced complaints from several MLAs over lack of funds to execute projects in their constituencies. Adding to this was the leadership tussle between him and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar. It only intensified with the countdown beginning for November, when Siddaramaiah would hit the half-way mark of his tenure – the point at which a change of guard is supposed to take place, as per an unwritten agreement claimed by Shivakumar's supporters, which is denied by the Siddaramaiah camp. Amidst these developments, his decision to drop the Devanahalli land proposal has led to Siddaramaiah being projected as a leader 'responsive to grassroots movements'. A S Raghu, a farmer and member of the Channarayapatna Land Struggle Committee, an apex body organising the protests, told The Indian Express, 'If not for Siddaramaiah at the helm, the decision would not have been in our favour. Some senior leaders in the government tried to create divisions among the protesting farmers to serve vested interests, but they failed. The CM reinforced his commitment to farmers' livelihood and we are grateful to him.' However, the decision to withdraw the notification appears to have upset pro-industry leaders who wanted to position Karnataka as a hub for the aerospace and defence sector. Industries minister MB Patil had earlier argued that neighbouring states Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were aggressively expanding their industrial base by offering large parcels of land at subsidised rates. The minister expressed concerns about Karnataka suffering losses if companies in this sector shift their operations to other states. At present, Karnataka, a national leader in the aerospace and defence sector, contributes nearly 65% to the country's output in these sectors. The state is home to major industry giants such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Safran, Boeing, Airbus, Collins, and Lockheed Martin, with a well-established aerospace park already operating near the Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli. To further consolidate its strategic advantage, the Karnataka government felt the need for an additional aerospace and defence park in the region and pushed for strengthening infrastructure around Bengaluru.
