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The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
‘Mayawati was the best for farmers,' says BKU leader Rakesh Tikait
Sultanpur (UP), Jul 29 (PTI) Bharatiya Kisan Union national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday supported the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, and called BSP chief Mayawati the 'number one chief minister' for farmers. Tikait, who was in Sultanpur to attend a private programme, said, 'Those who are from outside will have problems, those who are from there (Bihar) will have no problems.' On Yogi Adityanath's eight years as chief minister of the state, Tikait said, 'Mayawati was the number one Chief Minister for farmers… she did a better job for the sugarcane farmers.' The Election Commission of India on June 24 ordered a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, with an aim to weed out fake names on the electoral rolls.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
BKU Dakaunda opposes Punjab's NOC for GM maize trials, warns of agitation
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ekta Dakaunda strongly opposed the no-objection certificate (NOC) issued by the Punjab government to the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, for conducting field trials of genetically modified (GM) maize on Monday. This variety of maize is engineered to tolerate glyphosate, a toxic herbicide for which scientific evidence from across the world has shown adverse effects on human health, soil micro-organisms, and the environment. The Punjab government issued a NoC on May 29 for confined field trials of two kinds of GM maize at PAU by Bayer, formerly Monsanto, a German multinational biotechnology company. The union pointed out that the Punjab government had banned the use of glyphosate as early as 2018, thereby acknowledging its harmful impact. 'In a state like Punjab, already grappling with a health crisis, high cancer rates, and environmental degradation, allowing trials of such toxic crops is utterly irresponsible. If the current government has any new safety data regarding glyphosate, it must be made public immediately,' said Jagmohan Singh, state general secretary of the union. The union also raised concerns that out of 11 states approached, only Punjab has granted an NOC to Bayer. 'This raises the question: does the Punjab government possess any special safety data that other states do not? Moreover, PAU's past record on this issue is controversial. During herbicide-tolerant mustard trials, documented biosafety violations—including photographic evidence—had come to light, but no action was taken against the responsible officials. Under such circumstances, how can farmers place their trust?' asked Jagmohan Singh. 'Another serious concern is the absence of any legal protocol in India for assessing herbicide-tolerant crops. Even the Supreme Court's July 2024 ruling on GMOs is yet to be implemented. In this legal vacuum, such trials are not only unjustified but also anti-people and anti-nature. The union demanded clarity on who approved these trials—was it a political decision or merely a bureaucratic one?' asked Jagmohan Singh. BKU Ekta Dakaunda has made several demands from the Punjab government, including immediate withdrawal of the NOC granted for GM maize, public disclosure of all scientific and administrative documents related to the decision, formation of an independent inquiry committee to investigate the hidden reasons behind this decision, strong policy decisions to keep Punjab's agriculture free from GM crops and toxic chemicals and development and testing of new seeds transparently by PAU in consultation with farmers. 'Adding to the gravity of the issue is Punjab's 2018 executive order prohibiting the use of glyphosate across the state. The ban was based on recommendations from the Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee, which allows glyphosate only in tea plantations and non-cropped areas—conditions not applicable to Punjab, where nearly 100 per cent of the agricultural land is under cultivation,' said Jagmohan Singh. 'The state's prohibition order also cited scientific findings that link glyphosate to cancer and DNA damage, drawing on expert opinions from institutions like the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh,' said Jagmohan Singh, adding that if government possesses new safety data that overrides the scientific concerns and policy decisions made earlier, it must be made public immediately. Boota Singh Burjgill, state president, said BKU Dakaunda reiterated its firm opposition to GM crops and chemical-based farming and pledged to continue its struggle to protect Punjab's farmers, soil, and future generations.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
2 months since his death, Agniveer's ashes yet to be immersed; kin await ‘martyr' status amid Punjab govt silence
Over two months after the cremation of Agniveer Akashdeep Singh, 20, who died of a bullet injury while on duty in Jammu on May 15, his family has refused to immerse his ashes in protest against the 'government's indifference'. The grieving family in Kothe Chahal village in Faridkot's Kotkapura says they are still waiting for Akashdeep to be officially recognised as a martyr, and for the compensation routinely granted to the families of soldiers who die in the line of duty. On Friday, Akashdeep's parents, accompanied by members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur), held a protest march through the streets of Faridkot that culminated in a sit-in demonstration inside the district administrative complex. They also submitted a memorandum to Punamdeep Kaur, Deputy Commissioner (DC). Addressing the protesters, BKU (Sidhupur) president and convenor of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political), Jagjit Singh Dallewal said, 'I am shocked by the Punjab Government's apathetic response. It has been 70 days since this son of the soil was cremated, and his ashes are yet to be immersed. We sleep in peace because the Army guards our borders. And when one of them dies in uniform, does he not deserve dignity in death?' He added, 'Neither the Centre nor the State has spoken. It is unbelievable — how can we be so stone-hearted? People had protested against this Agnipath scheme right in the beginning and see the condition of the families of these soldiers.' Akashdeep reportedly died of a self-inflicted bullet wound to the head. His body was brought back in an ambulance and cremated on May 16. Though local MLA and Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan visited the family multiple times, the state government has made no announcement regarding compensation or his martyr status. The silence has only deepened the family's pain. On Friday, Akashdeep's father, Balwinder Singh — a long-time AAP supporter — sat under the scorching sun wearing a black turban. His mother Karamjit Kaur, draped in a white dupatta, remained silent, her eyes questioning the system. 'What was my fault in sending my young son to the armed forces?' she had asked earlier. Flex sheets at the protest site read: 'Akashdeep Amar Rahe (Long live Akashdeep)', 'Akashdeep nu shaheed da darza deo (Declare him a martyr)', and 'Akashdeep nu insaaf deo (Justice to Akashdeep)'. The family handed over the memorandum to the DC along with Dallewal, but chose not to speak at the protest. Earlier, in a conversation with The Indian Express, Balwinder had said, 'We are upset with the Punjab government's approach. No announcement has been made. Speaker Sandhwan came to our house and attended the cremation, but there has been no word from the Chief Minister (Bhagwant Mann).' The family was particularly hurt that even the DC did not visit their home — only a tahsildar was present during the cremation. 'My son died while on duty,' Kaur had said. 'People who die after drinking spurious liquor get Rs 10 lakh compensation and government jobs for their families. But my brave son, who left his BCom studies to serve the nation, has not even been acknowledged.' Kaur added that the family will not immerse Akashdeep's ashes until he is honoured as a martyr. 'What is the purpose of the Agniveer scheme if those who die in service are not even recognised?' The case has drawn comparisons to the first death of an Agniveer in India – Amritpal Singh, 19, who died by suicide in October 2023 in Punjab's Mansa. That incident had snowballed into a major political issue, following which chief minister Mann personally visited the family, announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had then declared that the Punjab government stood with its soldiers even when the Centre failed. 'The contrast in treatment is shocking,' said Harvipan Singh, block president of BKU (Sidhupur). 'Why this silence in Akashdeep's case?' Asked about the status of the family's demands, the DC said, 'We are forwarding the memorandum to the Chief Minister's Office. So far, we haven't received any feedback.' Meanwhile, Akashdeep's ashes remain as a symbol of the family's pain and a government that appears to look the other way.
Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Decode Politics: Why Haryana fertiliser crisis has landed Saini govt in a spot
Farmers across Haryana have been struggling to obtain urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilisers in recent days, even as the BJP-led state government has continued to claim that there was no shortage of fertilisers. However, many farmers seem to have joined long queues, braving heavy rains in their bid to secure fertilisers. In Charkhi Dadri district, for instance, police were deployed to ensure orderly distribution amid growing tensions on Monday. Protests have already erupted at several locations across the state. With over two-thirds of Haryana's population directly or indirectly reliant on agriculture, the issue has taken centre stage in state politics. The Opposition has seized on the crisis, attacking the government for what it calls a failure to ensure uninterrupted fertiliser supply. As the second-largest contributor to India's Central foodgrain pool, Haryana — often referred to as the 'bread basket of India' along with Punjab — finds itself in the middle of a agricultural row and a political showdown. Haryana officials cite two main reasons behind the current panic over a shortage of fertilisers. The first is the advance sowing of paddy prompted by early monsoon rains in the region. The second is the announcement by the state government that the fertiliser distribution would soon be restricted to farmers registered on the government's 'Meri Fasal-Mera Byora' portal, detailing crops sown on their land. Officials believe this shift has triggered anxiety among farmers, many of whom fear they might be left out of the fertiliser supply system. As one official noted, 'Even those farmers who don't need urea and DAP immediately have rushed to procure them, creating panic across farming communities.' In part, the panic has also been rooted in previous years' fertiliser shortfalls. Government figures show that of the 10.07 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of urea allocated for this season, 5.8 lakh MT has already arrived in the state. Combined with the earlier stock of 2.7 lakh MT, total availability is 8.5 lakh MT, with 7.5 lakh MT already sold. 'Farmers only need 5.91 lakh MT of urea from April 1 to July 19,' an official claimed. Regarding DAP fertilisers, officials said that 1.46 lakh MT had landed in Haryana against an allocation of 2.83 lakh MT, with 1.1 lakh MT sold and 36,000 MT currently in stock. An additional 5,467 MT is in transit. Farmers needed 1.37 lakh MT for the April-July period, according to the officials. Farmer leaders, however, argue this crisis is 'real and urgent'. Rakesh Bains, a Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader from Kurukshetra, said, 'The farmers immediately need urea for their crop of paddy but they want to take DAP too to meet their future needs.' Tejveer Singh of the BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) said, 'Farmers in rural areas are struggling more to obtain fertilisers than those living near towns.' On July 17, angry protesters allegedly held an agriculture department official hostage in Pehowa and blocked the Hisar-Chandigarh highway. Congress leader and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and INLD chief Abhay Singh Chautala accused the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government of 'failing' to maintain uninterrupted fertiliser supply. Deepender Singh Hooda, the Congress's Rohtak MP, said, 'With the kharif season's planting in full swing, farmers are deeply worried about saving their crops due to the unavailability of fertilisers. Even women and children from farmers' families are forced to wait in long queues through the night for several days — yet they still don't receive sufficient quantities of DAP and urea.' State Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana held a video-conference meeting with senior officials Tuesday to assess the fertiliser situation in Haryana. Rana reiterated that there was no shortage of fertilisers in any district and assured that the supply was being managed according to the demand. Rana said the government has intensified its vigilance and enforcement efforts to curb black marketing, hoarding, adulteration, and illegal tagging (a practice that often forces farmers to buy substandard products) of fertilisers. As part of these measures, 1,974 inspections have recently been conducted across Haryana. The crackdown has resulted in the registration of eight FIRs, suspension of 26 dealer licences, revocation of one licence, and issuance of 96 show-cause notices. The minister also appealed to farmers to purchase fertilisers based strictly on the immediate requirements of the kharif season. He urged them to refrain from stockpiling fertilisers for the Rabi season in advance, cautioning that such practices could lead to unnecessary shortages and disrupt equitable distribution. Amid a DAP fertiliser crisis last year, the Centre in November 2024 allocated 1.1 lakh MT of DAP to farmers in Haryana. At the time, the Saini government said it had been in touch with Union Chemical and Fertilisers Minister J P Nadda to ensure timely supply of the allocated fertiliser. Then too, the state government had said there was no fertiliser shortage. Haryana had faced fertiliser shortages under the previous Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government too. In 2021, for instance, a spike in global prices had hurt India's import capacity. Since last year, the Centre has sought to discourage farmers from applying too much urea and DAP as a key policy goal. In recent years, global disruptions like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have led to shocks in the supply of fertiliser in India, which is heavily dependent on its imports. The rupee's depreciation has also had a negative impact on imports.
Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
SKM urges all parties to clarify stance on Punjab's land pooling policy at live-streamed meeting
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called an all-party meeting on Friday at Kisan Bhawan, Chandigarh, where they will be asked to state their position on Punjab's contentious land pooling policy. The land pooling policy, under which the Punjab government plans to acquire over 40,000 acres of land across the state—primarily in Ludhiana district—has faced widespread opposition from farmers and their unions. The meeting aims to hold both ruling and Opposition parties accountable regarding land pooling and other key policy matters concerning the farming sector in general. 'We have sent invites to political parties like the AAP, Congress, BJP, SAD and BSP, whose MLAs are present in the Vidhan Sabha. Besides these, we have also invited Left parties like the CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI), and the five-member recruitment committee, a rebel faction of the SAD. We are yet to receive confirmation from anyone. However, designated seating will be arranged for all invited political representatives. Let's see who comes and what they say,' said Reminder Singh Patiala, member of the SKM's national coordination committee, while speaking to The Indian Express on Thursday. Apart from the land pooling policy, the all-party meeting will focus on Punjab's water crisis and water distribution, free trade agreements with the US and other countries, and the deteriorating condition of cooperative societies in the state. 'These are pressing issues that affect the future of farming and rural livelihoods, and we expect every political party to share their position transparently,' said Harinder Singh Lakhowal, another member of the SKM's national coordination committee. The meeting will begin at 11 am on Friday. Each political party will be given time to present its views and suggestions. This will be followed by a direct question-and-answer session between farmer leaders and party representatives. Attendance inside the main meeting hall will be restricted to nominated senior leaders from the SKM-affiliated farmer unions and political leaders. Other attendees will be able to watch the proceedings on LCD screens installed inside Kisan Bhawan, and the event will also be live-streamed, said SKM leaders. 'This will be a rare, head-on interaction where party representatives must explain their stands openly in a live discussion,' said Buta Singh Burjgill, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda) and a member of the SKM's national coordination committee. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan), the largest farmer union in Punjab and also a member of SKM, has announced it will not participate in the meeting. 'We have no hope from any political party. Though we are part of the SKM, we believe in struggling for our rights rather than relying on political assurances. Hence, we will not be part of this meeting,' said Jhanda Singh Jethuke, senior vice-president of BKU (Ugrahan), in a statement issued to The Indian Express. Around 35 farmer unions of Punjab will be part of this meeting, however, according to the SKM. As part of a broader campaign under the banner 'Save Land, Water, and Punjab', the SKM's Punjab unit has also announced a series of protests in the coming weeks. These include a massive farmers' rally on August 24 at Mullanpur Mandi in Ludhiana against the land pooling policy and tractor and flag marches across villages affected by the land pooling policy on July 30, said Raminder Singh Patiala.
