More about the deceased farmers:

Farmer Balkar Singh, aged 76, belonged to the Ajnala block of Amritsar. As per a report of the Times of India, Balkar breathed his last breath on Monday at the Rajpura railway station while waiting for the Shan-e-Punjab Express. As per the report, he was going home due to his ill health. It has been reported that Balkar Singh had expressed his wish to go home for a few days as he was feeling unwell. In the TOI report, Rajpura government railway police (GRP) assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Sukhwant Singh has provided that Balkar Singh was moved to hospital after alert.

Responding to Balkar’s death, Sarvan Singh Pandher of the Kisan-Mazdur Mukti Morcha (KMM) said that “Balkar was part of the Shambhu since it was pitched, and he died waiting to get home to his three sons and a daughter.”

Another elder farmer name Bishan Singh, aged 75, of Khandoor village in Pakhowal block of Ludhiana district, died on the same day as Balkar Singh after suffering from cardiac arrest. As claimed by the farmers leaders Bishan was associated with Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) farmer union and had stayed at Shambhu border since the beginning of farmers’ “Delhi Chalo” protest.

According to a separate TOI report, other farmers provided had that the deceased was facing breathing problems for the past few days after facing tear gas shells and smoke. He was moved to Rajpura’s govt hospital and declared dead after breathing issues.

Karamjit Singh Pakhowal block general secretary of BKU Ekta Sidhupur stated that “Bishan Singh faced breathing problems in the wee hours of Monday following which he was rushed to government hospital in Rajpura where doctors declared him dead.”

Pakhowal also provided details about the deceased and his family, and stated “He was unmarried. Bishan was the owner of only one acre of agricultural land and was in debt. He is survived by five brothers and their family members. The brother of the deceased has reached the hospital’s mortuary and a decision over his cremation will be taken soon.”

Rajpura senior medical officer Dr Bidhi Chand referred to both the aforementioned deaths and said that “Both Bishan Singh and Balkar Singh were brought dead to the hospital. The causes of their death will be cleared once we do the autopsy by Tuesday. For now, the bodies are in mortuary.”

The third deceased farmer was identified as Tehal Singh, who died at his residence in Mansa district. As per the report of TOI, Tehal Singh belonged to Bhathlan village in Mansa district, and died on early hours of Monday morning. As per the report, only hours prior to his death, the deceased farmer had returned from the Khanauri border protest.

Related:

RSS must stop demonising farmers’ movement: AIKS

United they stand: ‘Kisan-Mazdoor Mahapanchayat’ at Ramlila Maidan sees a wave of farmers from across India, protesting

Four-hour long ‘Rail roko’ protest held by farmers on tracks across Punjab, participation from farmer unions associated with SKM

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A nationwide call was given by various peasant unions seeking justice for the 6 farmers killed in Mandsaur. They were protesting seeking Minimum Support Price for their produce when police opened fire. Newsclick spoke to protesters in Gurgaon.

Courtesy: Newsclick.in

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The People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI) has published a live interaction video of P. Sainath on why our farmers are angry. He talks about the agrarian crisis in India and the present situation of agricultural economy.

The post Why are our Farmers Angry? P. Sainath on the Latest Phase of the Agrarian Crisis appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image: India Today
 

The delegation comprised about 25 representatives from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi, besides local farmers and farmer leaders. These included Ms. Medha Patkar, Swami Agnivesh, Dr. Sunilam, Paras Saklecha, Kalpana Parulekar, Avik Saha, Ajit Singh, Balakrishnan and Yogendra Yadav.

What follows are some of the key observations made by this delegation.

Law & Order, Legal & Human Rights – Nightmarish Situation

• Democratic Rights & Human Rights at an unbelievable low in MP – Constitution & Laws of India seem not to apply here – has it ceded from the Union of India? 
• Police & Civil Administration of Ratlam District keep strong surveillance on, illegally stop (from visiting Mandsaur) & arrest activists like Medha Patkar, Swami Agnivesh, Yogendra Yadav & Avik Saha, with lifelong adherence to peace and non-violence, on ground of breach of peace!!
• In agitation-free Neemuch District, police illegally prevent Yogendra Yadav, Dr. Sunilam, Avik Saha & Ajit Yadav from interacting with villagers; use sheer brute force to push them out of MP into Rajasthan 
• Delegation interacts with farmer leaders and activists and finds complete break-down of rule of law; reign of terror as Districts affected by and surrounding locations of farmers agitation cordoned off and jungle law implemented
• Independent persons and agencies barred entry while full might of state appears to be influencing & torturing witnesses to the murder of farmers by police, causing disappearance of material evidence and running an extortion racket by intimidation 

 
Probable Background Causes of Present Situation – Deep Rooted & Long Neglected Life & Livelihood Issues of Farmers 

• Already un-remunerative and further downward spiraling prices of all produce (Report annexed), despite MP reporting highest agricultural growth in the country and winning prizes, seems to have lead to wide spread discontent; State Government’s inaction in this crisis fuelled unrest
• Non-fulfillment of ruling BJP’s Manifesto promise of 50% profit above cost price compounded with the slow down of purchasing power of traders in mandis due to demonetisation completed the cycle of despair, disillusionment and discontent
• Local reports complained of extreme bureaucracy at mandis & looming threat of disentitlement of rights; e.g. compulsory registration of seller-farmers only through Aadhar, downgrading of ration entitlement under PDS ration if sales above 50 quintals made, 50% payment through bank, which forthwith deducts all loans 
• Drought of 2 consecutive years have severely depleted the MP farmers and have led to the 4th highest farmers’ suicides in the country in 2015; with added pressure of loan repayment and almost 50% price fall in produce, farmers have reached the end of their tether
• Non-payment & whimsical small payments of insurance for crop loss made farmers desperate for redressal of their financial grievances    

Killings of Farmers by State of Madhya Pradesh  

• Since the State has already admitted that firing was done without any formal order and without following due process, the death of farmers in police firing is nothing but murder by machinery of state
• The heinous and brutal killing of a farmer by beating and torture in the hands of police, after the gunning down of 5 farmers, is unbelievably shocking & can only be termed state sponsored terrorism
• It is sad to note that Madhya Pradesh has learnt no lesson from the findings of the Commissions that investigated the Multai Firing during Congress regime, when 23 farmers were brutally gunned down; Again, there was no dialogue with the protestors before firing; such dialogue could have easily prevented this unnecessary loss of life 

We Demand

• The State of Madhya Pradesh must immediately ensure remunerative price for all crops grown in Madhya Pradesh in fulfillment of the promise made by BJP in its manifesto (cost + 50%) and also ensure guaranteed purchase of the produce through market stabilization funds and other mechanisms; agriculture is a state subject and Madhya Pradesh, like Karnataka can ensure relief for farmers through agriculture price commission and allied statutory interventions   
• We demand that farmers of Madhya Pradesh be given a one-time waiver of all loans, which, coupled with remunerative prices, will pull them out of the vicious cycle of debt and death though debt-trap
• The State of Madhya Pradesh must immediately, in consultation with farmers organizations (1) appoint an Independent Commission headed by a sitting High Court Judge (2) prepare comprehensive TOR of the Commission to go into all circumstances that lead to the murder of farmers by police firing 
• The State of Madhya Pradesh must immediately register murder case against all policemen and administrative officers who ordered firing on farmers and executed the order 
• The State of Madhya Pradesh must immediately withdraw all cases registered against farmers in connection with the Farmers Movement in Madhya Pradesh during 1st to 10th June 2017 
• The State of Madhya Pradesh must immediately ensure that comprehensive crop insurance is provided for all crops grown in Madhya Pradesh and not just a few crops as presently stipulated under the PMFBY 
• Opposition parties like the Congress who have extended support to the farmers must establish their credential by ensuring that in the states of Punjab and Karnataka, where they are in power, there is no shooting on and killing of farmers, MSP at cost + 50% is given in terms of the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission  and all loans of farmers are waived 

 
Our Position & Next Steps 

• Swaraj Abhiyan, National Alliance of Peoples Movements, Bandhua Mukti Morcha and the several other farmers organizations that have come together, support all peaceful movement of farmers anywhere in India, that ensures farmers can live a life of dignity and have sustainable livelihoods
• In association with several farmers and youth organizations of Madhya Pradesh and other parts of India, on  July 6, 2017 we shall hold a Shahid Kisan Mahapanchayat in Madhya Pradesh 
• At this decisive and historic hour, we call upon all farmers organizations of the country to set aside ideological and personal differences for the larger good of farmers and form a single platform to fights for their rights, starting with being organizers of the Kisan Mahapanchayat 
• We shall constitute a Peoples’ Tribunal on Police Firing & Torture on Farmers at Mandsaur with a clearly defined TOR; eminent authorities on the subject shall be part of the tribunal 
• We shall work tirelessly to ensure – 

Ghaata Mukt Kheti

Atmahatya Mukt Bharat

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The news of police firing on agitating farmers in Madhya Pradesh has shocked all of us. In an act of defiance the police, acting on political orders, have unleashed violence against farmers agitating about their perilous condition and neglect by the government of their long-standing demands. Their action has resulted in the death of 6 farmers, as per news reports of various national dailies.

Farmers and farmer organisations across Gujarat express their shock and horror at this brutality of the Madhya Pradesh government and condemn this action in the strongest terms. From condoning the criminal acts of ‘non-state’ actors (vigilantes and mobs who lynch people) to state sanctioned violence was but a small step, waiting to happen.

The pro-capitalist policies of the government are the main cause of farmers’ distress in the country. While land, water, forests and coasts can be diverted for industrial purposes without even the mandatory clearances and NPAs and loans and revenue foregone running into thousands of crores of rupees can be ignored, the farmers’ demands for water for irrigation, electricity, fair and remunerative prices for their produce and loan waiver to tide over lean years are met with bullets.

Declining agriculture export and increasing import of agro-produce and higher rates on agro value addition under GST regime are examples of the Government’s intentions to compel farmers to abandon agriculture and hand over natural resources like water and land to big pro government corporate houses.

There are rising instances of the state machinery increasingly resorting to violence and use of fatal force against farmers, this being the latest instance. This is no longer a conspiracy against farmers and agriculture; it is open war against them by the state through its various arms.

Khedut Samaj-Gujarat condemns the government and police of Madhya Pradesh in the strongest terms. They will continue to stand by the agitating farmers of Madhya Pradesh and all and any other states of India.

The farmers of the 68 villages merged into AUDA, under the leadership of Khedut Samaj-Gujarat, were to take out a vehicle – tractor, car, motorcycle – rally. In view of the atrocity on their fellow farmers in Madhya Pradesh and in solidarity with them and their struggle, this programme was altered to include a 2-minute silence to pay homage to the martyrs in Madhya Pradesh. However, and not surprisingly, permission has been denied, yet again, by the authorities.
We request all the farmers’ organizations and other CBOs and NGOs to organize statewide programmes across India to show solidarity with the farmers.

Day after tomorrow, 9th June, the farmers will hold a day-long demonstration and shraddhanjali sabha for the martyrs of the movement in Madhya Pradesh at all the district collector offices across Gujarat after handing over a memorandum demanding justice for the farmers.

The Khedut Samaj-Gujarat appeals to all people concerned at the deteriorating state of democracy in the country today and the increasing suppression of people’s voice to join these programmes in large numbers.

This is not a political programme or a programme of any particular political party and so people joining are requested to do so without their party’s banners.

The writers are from the Khedut Samaj-Gujarat

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