Farmers’ Movement Organises First Kisan Sansad; Farmers’ Tractor March

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Farmers Organise First-Ever ‘Kisan Sansad’ at Jantar Mantar

Ronak Chhabra

22 July 2021: Their union flags in hand, farmers organised what was the first ‘Kisan Sansad’ at Jantar Mantar on Thursday. It was not without its hiccups however, as media personnel found themselves barricaded a fair distance away from their congregation site earlier in the day. Media persons were allowed entry later, only after the farmers passed a “resolution” condemning the move – allegedly intended to impede coverage of the event – by the Delhi police.

Farmers, who have stayed put at the Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur borders against the Farm Laws since last November, had planned to protest against the Centre and conduct ‘Kisan Sansads’, which were to see the participation of about 200 protestors, on each working day of the Parliament until the ongoing Monsoon Session ended. It was earlier decided that the sansad would be organised outside Parliament building itself, but the permission for the same was denied by the Delhi police.

Called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) – the umbrella body of farmers organisations – the plan to hold the protest at Jantar Mantar eventually received a nod from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday; it had been allowed by the Delhi police earlier.

On Thursday, a six-member coordination body was constituted by the SKM to oversee the proceedings of the farmers’ parliament. These included Hannan Mollah from the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), Shiv Kumar ‘Kakkaji’ of the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh (RKMM), Yogendra Yadav, Manjit Singh Rai of the Doaba faction of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Harmeet Singh Kadian, and Ravinder Singh of the Kirti Kisan Union (KKU).

“There will be three sessions of discussion in the day. The speakers and deputy speakers for each session will be selected on a rotation basis among the six members. For every ‘Sansad’ session in the coming days, there will be new members in the coordination body,” Ravinder Singh of KKU told Newsclick.

In the Kisan Sansad the protesting farmers refuted the “hollow claims” by government ministers that the farmers have not really explained what their concerns with the three laws were and were only harping on repealing them, the SKM said in a press statement on Thursday.

“The participants in the Kisan Sansad raised several points with regard to the unconstitutional nature of the law, the undemocratic processes by which the Government of India brought them in, and the serious implications that the law will have on farm livelihoods, as they discussed APMC Bypass Act in detail. They showcased before the world their intimate knowledge of this black law, and why they are insistent on a full repeal and nothing less than that (sic),” the SKM added in its release.

Two “resolutions” were passed by the farmers during the first session on Thursday, he added. “The first was to pay homage to our brothers and sisters – close to 600 – who have lost their lives since the beginning of the farmers’ protest at Delhi’s borders. The second was to condemn the barricading of the media and preventing them from covering our protest,” Singh said.

According to him, the entry of the media after the resolution was passed was “the first victory” of the farmers’ parliament. Newsclick couldn’t independently ascertain the reasons behind barring the media from covering the protest in the first place

Among other prominent faces, Rakesh Tikait of the BKU was also present at Jantar Mantar on Thursday. “Today, the Centre has finally accepted that those sitting at the borders in protest are farmers – till now they were not ready to accept even that,” he said, while addressing the ‘Kisan Sansad’.

Sukhwinder Singh of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), one of the farmers’ unions that is not part of the SKM, told Newsclick that it was the first time in independent India that a “parallel” parliament by farmers is being held while the actual Parliament was in session. “Our fight was against the farm laws, and it remains so even now. We will not step back, but make the Centre withdraw these legislations,” he said.

Singh of KMSC, who was present at Jantar Mantar with six members of his union was, however, seen sitting separately from the farmers’ parliament proceedings. When asked about it, he said: “We are together only in every decision. No meaning should be drawn from us sitting away.”

Moreover, 20 Members of Parliament from Kerala visited the Jantar Mantar to express their support for the farmers. In its continued solidarity, Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee arranged langar for the farmers at Jantar Mantar on Thursday.

Sarabjit Singh Virk, a member of the committee told Newsclick that food will be provided for the farmers participating in the ‘Kisan Sansad’ from the nearby Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. “Our committee has been organising langar at all the three borders since last November. Now that farmers will arrive at Jantar Mantar to stage a protest, we will continue to serve them food as well,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police had tightened security across the city, more so around the Jantar Mantar. Barricades, water cannons and riot control vans have been stationed there in view of the ‘Kisan Sansad’. Harpal Singh, organising secretary of the Chaduni faction of the BKU told Newsclick that “enough precaution” is also being taken by the SKM to avoid the entry of any “miscreants.”

Singh held up an ID card issued by the SKM, without which, according to him, entry to the ‘Kisan Sansad’, will not be allowed. Each day with a new contingent of farmers arriving to Jantar Mantar, these IDs will be issued to each one of them, Singh added.

“We don’t want to give this government any further reason to point a finger at us. We are determined to continue with out peaceful protest – even if that means sitting at the Delhi borders till 2024,” he said.

(Courtesy: Newsclick.)

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The Beginning of the Kisan Sansad: A Simulation of a Democracy

Oishika Neogi

25 July 2021: As cars honked away at the heart of the capital city, a haze of men in blue, brown and green uniforms bordered its intersection. However, every now and then, select buses were reluctantly allowed to pass through this haze that only seemed to be increasing with every blink of an eye. The buses that unfolded a new chapter in the history of what is perhaps the longest resistance movement in the country ever were welcomed by an army of officers almost ten times more.

The ‘Kisan Sansad’ – literally translating to ‘farmers’ parliament’ – at Jantar Mantar was followed by the Monsoon Session of the parliament that began on July 19. In almost walking distance to the gathering of ministers of parliament, groups of 200 out of the thousands of farmers stationed at Singhu and Tikri borders for almost a year now have been allowed to gather till August 9. However, this gathering is nowhere close to anything this country with its exemplary histories of dissent has witnessed before.

This time, triggered by the absolute lack of attention and concern that the sitting government has shown towards the plight of more than 14.5 crore – by its own estimation – farmers, the community decided to speak in a language that the government is most probable to understand. By simulating consecutive sansad sessions every day, the farmers have decided to argue their case against the three farm laws that directly disrupt their livelihoods – just like they should have been debated in parliament. And they sure hope that their voice is loud enough to echo in its neighbouring parliament in the next few weeks as well, since their past year of soaking in unbearable weather conditions and waves of the pandemic evidently did not. July 23 (Friday) was their first day in session.

A series of barricades lined up miles before the gathering of protesters against the three Central agricultural laws. Photo: Oishika Neogi

As a series of barricades were lined miles before the modest gathering of protesters and then just in front of them, the sight at Jantar Mantar was oddly peculiar on Friday. Mediapersons hurdled around the firm barriers overseeing a ‘Police Post Jantar Mantar’ board, while any other member attempting to join the crowd to express their solidarity was ushered out almost immediately.

Members of opposition political parties walked in to support the farmers, while food and medical vans drove by, penetrating an almost circle-like diameter that read ‘Delhi Police’. Buses filled with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and other police personnel joined an already overwhelming number of officers to guard the barricades, while a line of protective riot shields laid on the footpaths next to them. A gathering that was ought to be a strictly peaceful demonstration of a protest that has been ongoing for over a year felt almost like a war zone.

“We are just here to show what a parliament that cares about their biggest and oldest community may look and sound like,” said a farmer who has been at the Singhu border for the past eight months, and represents himself as one of the hundreds in the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) – a conglomeration of more than 40 Indian farmers’ unions. However, much like the inadvertent rule at the sights of Singhu and Tikri borders, while leaders representing political parties may express solidarity, none were allowed to tamper and give official statements on behalf of the community.

And as the first session of the ‘Kisan Sansad’ commenced – with each member given four to five minutes to make their argument – the speakers of the house began with introducing their agenda for the next few days. They shall sit to evaluate and critique all the three farm laws – the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 alongside the downfalls of the Central government dismantling the system of minimum support price (MSP). And most importantly, they shall pay homage to the farmers who have lost their lives since the beginning of the protests. Just like the sitting parliament should.

“The entire world is talking about this movement. Why isn’t our government?” was a question that was asked by almost every Union leader at the sight. However, as the farmers’ community has their next few days of debates distinctly sketched out for them, they have made clear that they are unhinged by the involvement of state and non-state members in their movement. They have made clear that the movement is and always has been of the farmers, by the farmers, and for the farmers.

And as the next 15 days lay in front of the rotating-yet-one 200, this sansad is perhaps the biggest demonstration of democracy that the country has ever witnessed. For a community that was accused of being unaware and downright not literate enough to understand what they have been protesting about for the past year, it has come together to prove that there is no doubt that they do.

For the people who are allegedly ‘anti-nationalists’, they have come to show Delhi what nationalism is truly about. For the farmers who were almost forgotten, they have come back to remind us that they are right where they ought to be. And they shall speak, no matter how many more barricades, and how many more men in blue and brown and green that may be stationed in front of them.

[The author is a human rights’ researcher at Karwan-e-Mohabbat (New Delhi). Article courtesy: The Wire.]

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Farmers Tractor March: 200 Tractors Ready to March to Ghazipur Border from Bijnor

Abdul Alim Jafri

23 July 2021, Lucknow: Unlike most other days, the morning of July 22 was a busy day for Dushyant Rana, a farmer from Dhampur of Bijnor district in Western Uttar Pradesh, as he geared up for a ‘Tractor March’ to be taken out on the call given by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) in support of the eight-month-long farmers’ protest against the three farm laws.

Rana hoisted a BKU flag on his tractor, filled the fuel tank with diesel and checked the music system installed on the tractor in preparation of participation in the first cavalcade of 200 tractors that will leave for Ghazipur border, where farmers have been camping for over eight months. He also helped his fellow farmers after finishing his preparations.

“Farmers, especially the youngsters, are enthusiastic about the tractor march and are also ready to lead it from the front. As the march will start at 10 a.m., we have tied flags on tractors and filled the tanks today itself, so as to save time on the D day. Even ration and other essential commodities have already been loaded on the tractor and checked twice,” Dushyant told NewsClick.

He added that the series of tractor marches began last month from west Uttar Pradesh and this is third such march being organised by BKU – Tikait group. According to him, the farmers’ protest at the border of the national capital has created a revolution and keeps motivating more farmers to join the stir. “This is a clear warning to the central government that unless the three agri laws and draft Electricity Bill are withdrawn, the movement will continue. This tractor march is only a rehearsal. We are preparing for protests across the state, in every district,” he added.

Like Dushyant, other farmers, too, are excited about the tractor march and have been discussing actively about it.

“There will be around 200 tractors when we flag off the march from Dhampur’s Numaish ground. But as soon as we leave the city, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that there would be thousands of farmers and vehicles joining our caravan,” Sardar Mukhtiyar Singh, a farmer leader from Bijnor, said.

Over a dozen farmers from Bijnor claimed that even though their tractors had developed technical problems, they have repaired it in time to ensure their participation in the tractor march on Saturday.

Gaurav Tikait, state president, BKU leader and son of Rakesh Tikait, who is on a mission to persuade farmers in rural areas to join stir on border, said he visited almost 10 villages within a span of six hours including Nawabpura, Katarmal, Rasoolpur, Murliwala, Turatpur and Kadrabad to meet small farmers. “Protesting farmers at the border of Delhi have made an impact in rural areas and rural farmers are now aware of the loss they may be facing if the farm laws are not withdrawn. Earlier, there was a lack of awareness among farmers. We just need to create awareness and they too like farmers in Haryana and Punjab will join the struggle,” Tikait claimed.

He said that the tractor march will begin from Bijnor on July 24 and reach Ghazipur border on July 25 after a night’s halt at Shivoy toll plaza in Meerut where farmers have been protesting for the last two months.

Meanwhile, the police have beefed up security arrangements on the route of the tractor march to avert any untoward incident.

Earlier on June 24, around 200 tractors had began the first march from Saharanpur, following a call by BKU leader Rakesh Tikait for a “tractor revolution”. A huge number of farmers from adjoining districts – Muzaffarnagar and Meerut with their tractors and vehicles joined them on the way. The caravan reached the Ghazipur border the next day.

The second such cavalcade of tractors began a march from Shamli region, with nearly 200 tractors along with thousands of farmers on July 9 to strengthen the movement. Farmers overpowered staff at several toll plazas, allowing toll-free movement of all vehicles.

According to Dharmendra Malik, BKU’s media-in charge, the magnitude of participation of farmers in tractor march from west Uttar Pradesh has forced the ruling BJP government to take the decision of not stopping the farmers marching towards the border of Delhi.

(Courtesy: Newsclick.)