Latest news with #SanyuktKisanMorcha
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Policy reunites Punjab farmers, tractor rally to set the tone
Bathinda: Having lost momentum after Punjab Police forcibly removed their protests at Shambhu and Khanauri borders with Haryana, farm groups and individual farmers are joining hands again in Punjab — all thanks to the contentious land pooling policy introduced by the AAP govt. Fearing that the policy means they could lose their land, farmers and even those not associated with unions are turning to farm groups to lead the opposition to the policy that envisions state govt taking possession of land by paying Rs 1 lakh a year and developing it into a residential-commercial zone, and returning booths and residential plots to the landowner. The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) — which had spearheaded the 2020-2021 farm stir on the borders of Delhi — has also okayed the decision of its Punjab chapter to hold tractor marches on July 30 in villages which could be affected by the policy. A call for support to the protest by the national committee of the farm forum Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) has also emboldened the SKM and farmers. Farmers have already started installing flex boards warning Aam Aadmi Party leaders and govt officials from entering their land to promote the policy. Many villages have started coming up with resolutions against the scheme, and it has been learnt that opposition has reached over 100 villages in the state. Though the biggest chunk of land is to be collected in Ludhiana district, small tracts have been identified in Bathinda, Moga, and Ferozepur districts too. In Bathinda, farmers in three villages — Jodhpur Romana, Naruana, and Patti Jhuttika — have already sounded a bugle of protest as 848 acres of land has been identified there under the policy. In Jodhpur Romana, the identified land is nearly 600 acres. Farmers from Jodhpur Romana village attended a meeting convened by farm organisations affiliated with SKM on Saturday and announced their plan to agitate and participate in tractor marches on July 30. Apart from tractor marches by SKM, some other organisations have decided to hold protests at DC offices on July 31. On that day, farm leader Balbir Singh Rajewal is scheduled to address a gathering on land pooling at Lehragaga in Sangrur. "We are determined to oppose the land pooling scheme and do not want to part with our fertile lands. We will go to any length to stop our land from being taken forcibly, and for this, we have approached farmer organisations," said Jodhpur Romana farmers Karnail Singh and Balwant Singh in the presence of farmer organisation BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) secretary Shingara Singh Mann. MSID:: 122934588 413 |
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Farmer forum Kisan Mazdoor Morcha to support SKM call for tractor marches against AAP govt's land pooling policy
Bathinda: Farmer forum Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) has decided to support the call by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) for tractor marches against the AAP govt's land pooling policy. in villages across Punjab on July 30 and a rally in Jalandhar on Aug 20. The decisions were made at the morcha national committee meeting held in Delhi on Friday. The morcha leaders stated that the land pooling policy is anti-farmer as the state govt is eyeing thousands of acres of fertile land in the state. The AAP govt is proceeding with collecting land even as farmers are not ready to hand it over in many places, according to the morcha. At the meeting held with Grameen Kisan Mazdoor Samiti president Harwinder Singh Gill and PT John from Kerala in the chair, morcha leader Sarvan Singh Pandher said that issues ranging from the legal right of MSP on crops according to the C2+50% formula as per the Dr M S Swaminathan commission, debt waiver, farm suicides, free trade agreement with the US, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, and the electricity bill 2022 were discussed. An invitation will also be sent to SKM to resume the unity talks in a joint meeting at Chandigarh on August 26. BOX Kisan panchayats ahead of Delhi mahapanchayat on Aug 25 Farmer forum Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) has decided to hold kisan panchayats across the states ahead of its kisan mahapanchayat in New Delhi on Aug 25. The forum has decided to hold a kisan panchayat at Gautam Budh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh on July 30, Ludhiana in Punjab on Aug 7, Panipat in Haryana on Aug 10, Ganganagar in Rajasthan on Aug 11, Itarsi in Madhya Pradesh on Aug 14, Aligarh in UP on Aug 17, and Sambhal in UP on Aug 18. MSID:: 122903070 413 | MSID:: 122903070 413 |
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Cost of Shambhu border protest: Farm group Kisan Mazdoor Morcha got 20.6L for 13-month stir, left with Rs 1,734
Bathinda: Farmer forum Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) on Saturday released details of the donations it received and the expenses it made during the 13-month-long protest helmed by the farmers' body at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana from Feb 13, 2024, to Mar 19 this year. The protest, along with another stir helmed by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) at Khanauri border between the two states, was carried out to demand a legal right for farmers on the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops, calculated for a 50% profit over comprehensive cost. KMM claimed that it received Rs 20,58,254 over the 13 months and spent Rs 20,56,520, leaving it with cash at hand of Rs 1,734. KMM also released a month-wise account of the funds for the period from Feb 2024 to Mar 2025. According to details, KMM received the highest amount in donations in May 2024, getting Rs 6,53,650. The lowest collection was made in Jan 2025, with the group getting just Rs 39,095 for the entire month. The highest expenditure was incurred in April and May 2024, when over Rs 5 lakh each were spent. Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) is yet to release the details of its accounts. The group headed by Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who went on a hunger strike for MSP, said it will make public its accounts on June 25. KMM accounts committee member Guramneet Singh Mangat said they audited their accounts in April, but a couple of receipt books went missing when police forcibly demolished the morcha site on March 19. "We had to find those receipts and then audit the accounts. This is why the process was delayed," he said. SKM (Non-Political) functionary Abhimanyu Kohar said both forums met on June 19, where accounts from both sides were shared. "We are busy with some engagements and the accounts will be put in the public domain on June 25," he said. The collection of funds was mired in controversy even during the previous 2020-21 farmers' protest on the borders of Delhi, as certain leaders alleged misappropriation of funds. MSID:: 121991783 413 |
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Cops block farmers, prevent Shambhu sit-in; Dallewal accuses CM Bhagwant Mann of turning Punjab Into A ‘Garrison'
Bathinda: The Punjab Police intensified its crackdown on protesting farmers associated with farm forums Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, preventing them from reaching Shambhu for a sit-in outside the local police station by making detentions and putting senior leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, under house action comes following a warning by chief minister Bhagwant Mann against any road or rail blockades or protests causing public leading to Shambhu were heavily barricaded, with even loaded tippers being strategically placed to block the movement of protesting crackdown extended beyond Punjab's borders. In Haryana, including Ambala, protesters primarily associated with BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) were prevented from reaching Shambhu. They were stopped at Gurdwara Manji Sahib, with Haryana-based farmer leader Tejveer Singh alleging that "Punjab Police reached the gurdwara in plainclothes and studied their movements".In Punjab's Moga district, at Ajitwal town, activists of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee were also intercepted, with farm leaders stating that some were even taken into farm forums had planned the demonstration to protest the police's recent actions, including the arrest of farmer leaders on March 19 after a meeting with central and state ministers, subsequent demolition of protest sites, and the alleged assault on farmer leader Balwant Singh Behramke on March 20. The farmers had also expressed outrage over the disappearance of their belongings, including tractor trailers, from the protest leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, angered by the arrests and house arrests, released a video message on Tuesday morning strongly condemning the govt's actions. He stated that the farm forums merely intended to voice their concerns regarding the police actions of March accused the Mann-led government of transforming Punjab into a "garrison" and launching a widespread crackdown on farmers. He said that many leaders detained on Monday, including Kaka Singh Kotda, had been sent to jail. Dallewal cautioned Mann that such state repression could incite further asserted that protests cannot be suppressed through coercion, emphasising that increased repression would only lead to greater resistance and that the rising voices of dissent would not tolerate authoritarianism. He questioned the "double standards" of the CM and his party leaders, who themselves have participated in protests in Delhi and Punjab, yet seem unwilling to concede to the farmers' right to to block rail trafficKisan Mazdoor Morcha, expressing anger over the acquisition of farmlands for road projects against the farmers' wishes, announced plans to block rail traffic at Devidaspura near Amritsar starting Wednesday. "We will continue protests and will sit wherever we are stopped and will mobilise people against such high-handedness from the state govt led by a political party which claims to have originated from the protests and struggles," declared farm leaders, adding that numerous activists from the BKU (Ekta Azad) organisation have been detained in Mangwal village near 120924755 413 |
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ahead of Shambhu stir, Punjab Police place farm leaders under house arrest, detain many
Two days ahead of farm groups' plan to protest at Shambhu police station, Punjab Police on Sunday night swooped down on farm leaders, placing at least four of them under house arrest and detaining several others. Farm groups Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had announced the protest over cops allegedly assaulting a farm leader on March 19-20. However, on Sunday night and later on Monday morning, personnel of Punjab Police started reaching the houses of senior farm leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, and placing them under house arrest. The action had the stamp of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who also issued a statement on X over protests that involve blocking roads and railways. "Any announcements, protests, or strikes in Punjab that involve blocking roads or railways or cause inconvenience to the general public and disrupt daily life will be considered acts against the public. All organisations and groups are advised to take note. There are other ways to express opposition, as troubling the people is not right. If violated, they should be prepared for strict legal action. Issued in the interest of the hardworking people of Punjab," said Mann. Commenting on the midnight crackdown on farmers, Dallewal said the action was "unwarranted". "It is no less than a midnight assault on democracy. After a sustained struggle and fast, I am unable to even walk properly, yet I have been confined to my home. We only announced a day-long peaceful protest, but instead of taking action against those from whom stolen items have been recovered, we have been put under house arrest. It is time for people to speak out, or they will silence all our voices," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo Police also reached the residences of Manjit Singh Rai from BKU (Doaba), Sukhwinder Kaur from BKU (Krantikari), and Balwant Singh Behramke, and put them under house arrest. Some others, including Kulwinder Singh Panjola, Hardev Singh Chitti, Gurpreet Singh and Harvinder Singh Masaania, were rounded up and detained at different police stations, stated farm leaders. The action drew sharp criticism from other farmer organisations. Sources in police said the action was taken as they were apprehending a large gathering at Shambhu again. In the past, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had, on Feb 13, 2024, started protests at Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana to demand a legal guarantee on MSP. Though the farmers had wanted to march to Delhi, their way was blocked by Haryana Police. As the stalemate continued for 13 months and either side refused to budge, Punjab Police removed protesters at the two sites by force on March 19. While these two protests ended, police were accused of misbehaving with farmer leaders, and stealing tractors and belongings of protesters. It was during this confusion that police were accused of a assaulting a farm leader at Shambhu police station. As part of the latest protest, farm groups wanted to protest at the same police station. CM's message elicits another protest call The CM's post on X slamming protesters has elicited another protest call, this time by Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarvan Singh Pandher. He has now called for disrupting rail traffic at Devidaspura near Amritsar on May 7 and urged other farm organisations to stand up against this highhandedness.
