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why are farmers are protesting in India

Why farmers are protesting?

Farmers protesting on The Three Farm act which was passed by the parliament of India in September 2020
this act is often called anti-farmer law by many farmer unions and the opposition party. it was saying that this law will force farmers to beg in front of the corporates, also the farmers have asked for the MSP bill to ensure that corporates cannot control prices.
 the government, however, maintains and ensuring the farmers that they make it effortless for the farmers to sell their produce to the big buyers and stated that the fear of the farmers is based on misinformation.

Farmer unions and representatives have demanded that the law should be repealed and they will not accept any of it.

What does the actual Farm bill state?

The Three Farm acts include:

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 -  

This is the act of an Indian Government that permits intra- state and inter-state trade of farmer's produce beyond the physical premises of the Agricultural produce market committee. (APC) market yards (mandis) notified under state APMC (India approves ordinance to allow farmers to freely sell produce) act.
 
1-expands the scope of trade areas of farmers'  so that they can produce from the select areas to "any place of production, collection, aggregation".

2-Allows electronic trading and e-commerce of scheduled farmers' produce.
 
3-Prohibits state governments from levying any market fee, cess, or levy on farmers, traders, and electronic trading platforms for the trade of farmers' produce conducted in an 'outside trade area'.

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020- 

It is an act of the Indian government that creates a framework of contract farming through an agreement between a farmer and a buyer before the production or rearing of any farm produces.

1- Provides a legal framework for farmers to enter into pre-arranged contracts with buyers including mention of pricing. 

2-Defines a dispute resolution mechanism.

The Essential Commodities Act (ECA)-read more

It is an act of the parliament of India, this act was enacted in 1955 and since then has been used by the government to regulate the production, supply, and distribution of essential commodities to make them available to consumers at a fair price. additionally, the government can also fix the minimum support price(MSP) for any packaged products that declare as an essential commodity. 

1- removes foodstuff such as cereals, pulses, potato, onions, edible oilseeds, and oils, from the list of essential commodities, removing stockholding limits on agricultural items produced by Horticulture techniques except under "extraordinary circumstances.

2-requires that imposition of any stock limit on agricultural produce only occur if there is a steep price rise.

How the Protest started?

soon after the acts were introduced, unions began holding local protests mostly in Punjab, after two months the farmers from Punjab and Haryana began a movement called "Dilli Chalo"( let's go to Delhi)
in which thousands of farming union members marched towards the capital of the country "Delhi".

The Indian government ordered the police and law enforcement of various states to stop the farmer unions with water cannons, batons, and tear gas to prevent the farmer unions from entering into Haryana first and then Delhi. 
On 26 November 2020, a nationwide general strike that trade unions claim involved approximately 250 million people took place in support of the farmer unions.
 
On 30 November, it was estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 farmers were converging at various border points on the way to Delhi.

After the government did not accept the farmer unions' demands during talks on 4 December, the farmer unions planned to escalate the action to another India-wide strike on 8 December 2020. 

The government offered some amendments in-laws, but unions are asking to repeal the laws.
 From 12 December, farmer unions took over highway toll plazas in Haryana and allowed free movement of vehicles

By mid-December, the Supreme Court of India had received a batch of petitions related to removing blockades created by protesters around Delhi. The court also asked the government to put the laws on hold, which they refused.

On 4 January 2021, the court registered the first plea filed in favor of the protesting farmers.
Farmers have said they will not listen to the courts if told to back off.

on 30 December the Indian government agreed the two of the farmer's demand- 
excluding from laws curbing stubble burning and dropping amendments to the new electricity burnings.


on 26 January 2021 (which the nation will never forget )
Tens of thousands of farmers protesting against the agricultural reforms held a farmer's parade with a large convoy of tractors and drove into Delhi. The protesters deviated from the pre-sanctioned routes permitted by the Delhi Police. The tractor rally turned into a violent protest at certain as the protesting farmers drove through the barricades and clashed with the police. Later protesters reached Red Fort and installed farmer union flags and religious flags on the mast on the rampart of the Red Fort.
disrespected the national flag. republic day of India turns into the black day where farmers went out of control and a peaceful protest turns into a disaster. so many farmers and police officials were killed and injured. none of the rules were followed written in the mutual agreement between the farmers and the Delhi police.

Farmers Demands includes:

1-Convene a special Parliament session to repeal the farm laws. 
2-Make minimum support price (MSP) and state procurement of crops a legal right.
3-Assurances that conventional procurement system will remain.
4-Implement Swaminathan Panel Report and peg MSP at least 50% more than the weighted average cost of production.
5- Cut diesel prices for agricultural use by 50%.
6-Repeal of Commission on Air Quality Management in NCR and the adjoining Ordinance 2020 and removal of punishment and fine for stubble burning.
7- Release of farmers arrested for burning paddy stubble in Punjab.
8-Abolishing the Electricity Ordinance 2020.
9- Center should not interfere in state subjects, decentralization in practice.
10- Withdrawal of all cases against and release of farmer leaders.

Farmer's suicide:

The protest which the nation thought, would be peaceful and won't last for long, will become such a disaster that it will cost so many farmers life, yes you heard it right, many farmers have killed themselves during this protest.

By the 9th of January, the number of farmers who killed themselves was 5, Sant Baba Ram Singh, a Sikh priest shot himself on 16 January 2020 at singhu borders in protest against the farm law.

according to the senior superintendent of police Haryana, Ram Singh left behind a 10-page note dated 14 December and a handwritten suicide note dated 16 December 2020, in which he wrote that he could not bear the pain of farmers, at his funeral on 18th December the note was read out loud, which said 

"Bullets fired from the guns kill only those whom they strike. The bullet of injustice, however, kills many with a single stroke… It is humiliating to suffer injustice.

later the same day A 22-year-old Punjab farmer killed himself within his village after returning from singhu borders. on 27 December a lawyer named Amarjeet Singh rai committed suicide, he wrote in his suicide note that "he is sacrificing his life in support of farmers protest, and urged Narendra Modi to listen to the voice of the people"

On 2 January 2021 Kashmir Singh Ladi, A 75-year-old farmer from Bilaspur, Rampur district Uttar Pradesh(UP) committed suicide. he was protesting at Gaziapur border with his son and grandson, hanged himself in the toilet, wrote in his suicide note that "Till when shall we will sit here in the cold"

On 9th January a 40-year-old farmer Amribder Singh killed himself with Aluminium phosphide Tablets at the singhu Border.  The man had been depressed at the state of the negotiations and had downed the tablets at a stage set up for protesters to speak, whereupon he was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late by then.
Between all these the series of fake news was spreading, Several politicians have circulated misinformation and fake news about the protests, and based on this, have made allegations of separatism, sedition, and 'anti-national' activities concerning the farmers' protests. In response to these, in December 2020, a group of protesting farmers announced that they would be establishing a unit to counter misinformation being spread about the protests. there are also several allegations of conspiracy.

"at last, I would say no matter whom you support the government or the farmers, never forget that nation comes first and so we shouldn't allow any political agenda or any sort of conspiracy, trying to divide us"

Tell us your opinion on this, and also let me know if you want a detailed blog on the allegations of conspiracy. also, subscribe for more such content.



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