2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest

The 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest is an ongoing protest against three farm acts which were passed by the Parliament of India in September 2020.

2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest
Date9 August 2020[1] – present
(6 months)
Location
India
Caused by
Goals
Methods
StatusOngoing
Parties to the civil conflict
Number
Unverified
Casualties and losses
Over 300 policemen injured during Farmers' Republic day parade (including cases of stabbings)[2][3][4]
Over 159 dead since 27 January 2021, including 7 suicides, hundreds injured
(see section Fatalities for more details)
Infrastructure damage:
National highways dug up by police to stop protestors from marching to capital[5]
Over 1,500 telecom tower sites damaged by protestors (as of 28 Dec)[6][7]
Government buses and 30 police vehicles damaged on Republic Day[8]

Farmer unions and their representatives have demanded that the laws be repealed and will not accept anything short of it.[9][10][11][12] Farmer leaders have rejected a Supreme Court of India stay order on the implementation of the farm laws as well as the involvement of a Supreme Court appointed committee.[13] Farmer leaders have also rejected a government proposal, dated 21 January 2021, of suspending the laws for 18 months.[14] Eleven rounds of talks have taken place between the central government and farmers represented by the farm unions between 14 October 2020 and 22 January 2021; all were inconclusive.[15][14] On 3 February, farmer leaders warned of escalating the protest to overthrowing the government if the farm laws were not repealed.[16][17] However, the stay order on the implementation of the farm laws remains in effect as of 29 January,[18] and the Supreme Court appointed committee continues with its tasks related to the farm laws and have asked for suggestions from the public before 20 February 2021.[19]

The acts, often called the Farm Bills,[20] have been described as "anti-farmer laws" by many farmer unions,[21][22] and politicians from the opposition also say it would leave farmers at the "mercy of corporates".[23][24] The farmers have also demanded the creation of an Minimum Support Price (MSP) bill, to ensure that corporates cannot control the prices. The government, however, maintains that the laws will make it effortless for farmers to sell their produce directly to big buyers, and stated that the protests are based on misinformation.[25][26][27]

Soon after the acts were introduced, unions began holding local protests, mostly in Punjab. After two months of protests, farmer unions—notably from Punjab and Haryana—began a movement named Dilhi Chalo (transl. Let's go to Delhi), in which tens of thousands of farming union members marched towards the nation's capital. The Indian government ordered the police and law enforcement of various states to attack the protesters using 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 of 250 million people, as per trade unions claim, took place in support of the farmer unions.[28] On 30 November, an estimated crowd of 200,000 and 300,000 farmers was converging at various border points on the way to Delhi.[29]

While a section of farmer unions have been protesting, the Indian Government claims some unions have come out in support of the farm laws.[30][31] Transport unions representing over 14 million truck drivers have come out in support of the farmer unions, threatening to halt movement of supplies in certain states.[32] After the government rejected the farmer unions' demands during talks on 4 December, the unions planned to escalate the action to another India-wide strike on 8 December 2020. The government offered some amendments in laws, but unions demanded a complete repeal the laws.[33] From 12 December, farmer unions took over highway toll plazas in Haryana and allowed free movement of vehicles.[34]

By mid December, the Supreme Court of India had received a batch of petitions asking for removal blockades created by the protesters around Delhi.[35][36] The court also asked the government to put the laws on hold, which they refused.[37] On 4 January 2021 the court registered the first plea filed in favour of the protesting farmers.[38] Farmers have said they will not listen to the courts if told to back off.[39] Their leaders have also said that staying the farm laws is not a solution.[40]

On 30 December, the Indian Government agreed to two of the farmers' demands; excluding farmers from laws curbing stubble burning and dropping amendments to the new Electricity Ordinance.[41]

On 26 January, tens of thousands of the 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.[42][43][44][45] The tractor rally turned into a violent protest at certain points as the protesting farmers drove through the barricades and clashed with the police.[46] Later protesters reached Red Fort and installed farmer union flags and religious flags on the mast on the rampart of the Red Fort.[47][48][49][50]

Background
Main article: 2020 Indian agriculture acts

The Agriculture Census in India, last held in 2014, identified that farmers in India have small land holdings, one of the reasons they are not able to meet their needs. Two thirds of the land holdings in the country are less than one hectare.[51][52]

Other related issues include farmer suicides and the state of the economy in India. India reported a total 296,438 Indian farmers suicides between 1995 and 2015.[53][54] In 2019, 10,281 people who work in the farming sector committed suicide.[55] The slower growth of Punjab's economy, particularly its agricultural sector, is believed to have helped fuel the protest.[56][57]

Second green revolution
See also: Second Green Revolution and Green Revolution in India

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during an interview in 2004, said,[58]

"We need a second green revolution, making use of modern advances [...] For that we need to revitalize India's research agricultural system, India's extension system, India's credit system. The more we commercialize our agriculture, the more our farmers need access to commercial inputs and that was a modernization of our agriculture credit system. [...] There are other rigidities because of the whole marketing regimes set up in the 1930s which prevent our farmers from selling their produce where they get the highest rate of return. It is our intention to remove all those handicaps which come in the way of India realizing its vast potential as one large common market."

On 8 February 2021, in the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Modi referenced this interview of Manmohan Singh and said - "Manmohan Singh talked about it but Modi is having to do it now. Be proud".[59][60] Prime Minister Modi has referred to the second agricultural revolution in 2015,[61] 2016,[62] and 2017.[63]

Three agriculture laws

In 2017, the central government released the Model Farming Acts. However, after a certain period of time, it was found that a number of the reforms suggested in the acts had not been implemented by the states. A committee consisting of seven Chief Ministers was set up in July 2019 to discuss the implementation. Accordingly, the central Government of India promulgated three ordinances (or temporary laws) in the first week of June 2020, which dealt with agricultural produce, their sale, hoarding, agricultural marketing and contract farming reforms among other things.[64][65] These ordinances were introduced as bills and passed by the Lok Sabha on 15 and 18 September 2020.[66] Later, on 20 and 22 September, the three bills were passed by the Rajya Sabha, where the government is in a minority, via a voice vote – ignoring the requests of the opposition for a full vote.[67][68] The President of India gave his assent by signing the bills on 28 September, thus converting them into acts.[69] The legality of the acts has been questioned since both agriculture and markets come under State list.[70]

These acts areas are:[64]

  1. Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act: expands the scope of trade areas of farmers produce from select areas to "any place of production, collection, and aggregation." Allows electronic trading and e-commerce of scheduled farmers' produce. Prohibits state governments from levying any market fee, cess or levy on farmers, traders, and electronic trading platforms for a trade of farmers' produce conducted in an 'outside trade area'.
  2. Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act: creates a framework for contract farming through an agreement between a farmer and a buyer before the production or rearing of any farm produces. It provides for a three-level dispute settlement mechanism: the conciliation board, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, and Appellate Authority.'
  3. Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act: allows for the center to regulate certain food items in the course of extraordinary situations like war or famine. Requires that imposition of any stock limit on agricultural produce be based on price rise.

International precedents

Many developing economies reformed their agriculture policies in the 1980s and 1990s to encourage private section participation.[71] Swati Dhingra of the London School of Economics cites the case of Kenya in which their agriculture reforms increased the ease of doing business, however this very increase caused other problems for the farmers.[71]

Farmer unions' demands
We have so far talked about "bill wapsi" (repealing the farm laws). The government should listen carefully. What will you do if the youth call for "gaddi wapsi" (removal from power)?

Rakesh Tikait. BKU. 3 February 2021.
(At a 'mahapanchayat' in Haryana)[16][17]

The farmer unions believe that the laws will open the sale and marketing of agricultural products outside the notified Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis for farmers. Further, the laws will allow inter-state trade and encourage hike electronic trading of agricultural produce. The new laws prevent the state governments from collecting a market fee, cess, or levy for trade outside the APMC markets; this has led the farmers to believe the laws will "gradually lead to the deterioration and ultimately end the mandi system" thus "leaving farmers at the mercy of corporates". Further, the farmers believe that the laws will end their existing relationship with agricultural small-scale businessmen (commission agents who act as middlemen by providing financial loans, ensuring timely procurement, and promising adequate prices for their crop).[72]

Additionally, protesting farmers believe dismantling the APMC mandis will encourage abolishing the purchase of their crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). They are therefore demanding the minimum support prices to be guaranteed by the government in writing.[72]

Among the demands is the removal of punishments and fines for stubble burning as well as the release of farmers arrested for burning paddy stubble in Punjab

As of 9 February 2021, the farmers' demands include: [73][74]

  1. Convene a special Parliament session to repeal the farm laws[75]
  2. Make MSP and state procurement of crops a legal right[76]
  3. Assurances that conventional procurement system will remain[77]
  4. Implement Swaminathan Panel Report and peg MSP at least 50% more than weighted average cost of production[78]
  5. Cut diesel prices for agricultural use by 50%[73]
  6. Repeal of Commission on Air Quality Management in NCR and the adjoining Ordinance 2020 and removal of punishment and fine for stubble burning[79]
  7. Release of farmers arrested for burning paddy stubble in Punjab[77]
  8. Abolishing the Electricity Ordinance 2020[80]
  9. Centre should not interfere in state subjects, decentralization in practice[73]
  10. Withdrawal of all cases against and release of farmer leaders[81]

Insistence on repealing the farm laws

The insistence of the farmers over repealing the farm laws has been noted extensively by the Indian media over the course of the protest. Even after the government offered to stay the farm laws for 18 months on 21 January 2021, the farmers refused.[82]

  • On 5 December, ThePrint reported that there are "no takers for government's offer to amend farm laws, farmers say nothing short of repeal acceptable".[83]
  • On 16 December, a farmer leader said that they will "make" the government repeal the farm laws, "...we are determined to win no matter what."[11]
  • On 25 December, The Wire reported that farmers remain resolute over the demand to repeal the farm laws.[10]
  • On 1 January, farmer leaders were reported saying that there are no alternatives to repealing the farm laws.[12]
  • On 8 January, a farmer was reported saying that there would be no clause wise talks until the laws are repealed.[9]
  • On 12 January, farmer unions and leaders rejected the Supreme Court committee and demanded repeal of the farm laws.[13]
  • On 21 January, the protestors reject an offer from the Modi government to suspend the disputed laws for 18 months.[84][85]

Other than the farm unions and leaders, people such as Markandey Katju[86] and Thol. Thirumavalavan have also made statements in relation to staying the farm laws.[87]

Protests
March to Delhi, 27 November

In Punjab, small-scale protests had started in August 2020 when the Farm Bills were made public. It was only after the passage of the acts that more farmers and farm unions across India joined the protests against the reforms. On 25 September 2020 farm unions all over India called for a Bharat Bandh (lit. transl. nation-wide shutting down) to protest against these farm laws.[88] The most widespread protests took place in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh[89] but demonstrations were also reported in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka,[90] Tamil Nadu,[91] Odisha,[92] Kerala[93] and other states.[94] Railway services have remained suspended in Punjab for more than two months due to the protests, starting from October.[95] Following this, farmers from different states then marched to Delhi to protest against the laws.[96] Farmers also criticized the national media for misrepresenting the protest.[97]

In certain parts of India, bullock-cart rallies in support of farmer's protest have also been organized by marginal farmers.[98]

Farm unions

Under the coordination of bodies such as Samyukt Kisan Morcha and All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee[note 1], the protesting farm unions include:[99][72][100]

Rakesh Tikait. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU Uttar Pradesh)
Balbir Singh Rajewal. Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU Rajewal)
Farm Union leaders during the protest

Transport bodies such as the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), representing about 9.5 million truckers and 5 million bus and taxi drivers, have threatened to halt the movement of supplies in the northern states, and if the government fails to address the farmer's issues, it would be done nationwide.[32] After a meeting with government officials and 30 union representatives, "the farmers have rejected the government's proposals," Darshan Pal, president of the Krantikari Kisan Union told the press on 8 December 2020.

Rail Roko

On 24 September 2020, farmers started a "Rail Roko" (transl. "stop the trains") campaign, following which train services to and from Punjab were affected.[102] Farmers extended the campaign into October.[103] On 23 October, some farmer unions decided to call off the campaign, as supplies of fertilizer and other goods in the state were starting to run short.[104]

Dilli Chalo
See also: Indian general strike of 2020

After failing to get the support of their respective state governments, the farmers decided to pressure the Central Government by marching to Delhi.[72] On 25 November 2020, protesters from the Dilli Chalo (transl. "let us go to Delhi") campaign were met by police at the borders of the city.[105] The police employed the use of tear gas and water cannons, dug up roads, and used layers of barricades and sand barriers to stop the protesters,[106] leading to at least three farmer casualties.[107] Amidst the clashes, on 27 November, media highlighted the actions of a youth who jumped onto a police water cannon targeting protesting farmers and turned it off. He was later charged with attempted murder.[108][109]

The march on Delhi was accompanied by a 24-hour strike of 250 million people across India on 26 November 2020 in opposition to both the farm law reform and proposed changes to labour law.[28][110]

Between 28 November and 3 December, the number of farmers blocking Delhi in the Delhi Chalo was estimated at 150 to 300 thousand.[111]

The Central Government Of India announced they would for discussing the future of the new farm laws on 3 December 2020, despite the protesters' demands that the talks took place immediately.[112] It was decided that the government would only talk to a select group of farmer unions. The Prime Minister would be absent in this meeting. The KSMC, a leading kissan jatha (transl. farmer organisation) refused to join this meeting for these reasons.[113] While the Center wanted the farmers to move away from Delhi to a protest site in Burari the farmers preferred to stay at the borders and instead put forward a proposal of protesting at Jantar Mantar in central Delhi.[114]

The farmers' unions announced that on 4 December they would burn effigies of PM Modi and leaders of corporations. Prominent personalities began announcing their plans to return their awards and medals received from the Central Government. On 7 December, farmers announced their plan to organize a Bharat Bandh (national strike) on 8 December.[115][116] After talks with the central government failed to find a solution on 5 December, farmers confirmed their plans for a national strike on 8 December. Further talks were planned for 9 December.[33]

On 9 December 2020, the farmers' unions rejected the government's proposals for changes in-laws, even as the Centre in a written proposal assured the minimum support price for crops. The farmers also said they will block the Delhi-Jaipur highway on 12 December and nationwide dharnas will be called on 14 December 2020.[117] On 13 December, Rewari police barricaded Rajasthan-Haryana border to stop farmers from marching to Delhi, and the farmers responded by sitting on the road and blocking the Delhi-Jaipur highway in protest.[118]

On 26 January 2021, Republic Day, hundreds of thousands protested in Delhi, where tractor rallies[119] and a storming of the historic Red Fort took place. One person died in the protest as his tractor overturned on him. Later, the postmortem also confirmed that he died due to haemorrhage due to head injuries.[120]

Blocking of border and roads
Roadblock before Sangrur
Affected borders and locations due to the farmer protests around Delhi[121][122]

A number of borders, including the Kundli Border, Dhansa border, Jharoda Kalan border, Tikri border, Singhu border, Kalindi Kunj border, Chilla border, Bahadurgarh border and Faridabad border, were blocked by protesters during the protests.[123][124] On 29 November, the protesters announced that they would block five further points of entry into Delhi, namely Ghaziabad-Hapur, Rohtak, Sonipat, Jaipur and Mathura.[125]

On 28 January, the residents of the border villages which the farmers occupied, staged protests to make farmers vacate the sites as it affected their commute. They also accused the farmers for disrespecting tricolor at Red Fort.[126] At the Ghazipur border, the Ghaziabad administration imposed Section 144 and passed orders to vacate the protest sites.[127] In a similar protest by the locals at the Singhu border on 29 January, they clashed with protesting farmers, and stones were pelted from both sides. Police used tear gas and lathi charge to disperse them off.[128]

In early February, metal barricades, cement walls and iron nails were put up at the roads leading to the three main borders (Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur) to block any vehicles from entering Delhi. Barbed fences were also put up to prevent people from entering Delhi on foot.[129][130]

Kisan Parade

On 26 January, tens of thousands of the farmers protesting agricultural reforms held a parade with a large convoy of tractors and drove into Delhi. The farmers drove in long lines of tractors, riding horses or marching on foot.[131] The parade started from Singhu Border, Tikri Border and Ghazipur in Delhi on the routes approved by the Police. The farmers were barred from entering the central part of the city where the official Republic Day parade was taking place.[132] At the Singhu Border starting point, according to the police estimates, around 7000 tractors had gathered. Reuters reported citing farmers' unions that close to 200,000 tractors had participated.[132]

At around 8 am, a few hours early from the permitted time, farmers started to gather separately at Ghazipur, Singhu, and Tikri borders. The tractor rally commenced from the Singhu border and was designated to follow a decided route. However, as the rally progressed, it deviated and marched towards other routes.[133] The protestors marched towards ITO metro station and the city centre, and broke through the barricades. The Delhi Police used tear gas and Baton charged the protesting farmers leading to clashes.[134][135][50][136] Several metro stations were closed and mobile internet was suspended by Police.[136]

A farmer Navreet Singh reportedly died on the spot while driving the tractor. The police claimed he died after he lost control and his tractor overturned on him while he was trying to break through barricades. Later the Delhi Police released CCTV footage of the tractor overturning.[137] The postmortem conducted at 2 am on January 27, noted the cause of death as "shock and haemorrhage due to anti-morten injuries". No bullet injuries were mentioned in the report.[138] Farmer union leaders and victim's family disputed the police version of the incident and claimed that he died after being shot in the head by the police, and the event was witnessed by other farmers near ITO.[139][140] According to the witness accounts filmed at the incident site by a local Punjabi TV station, the police shot Navreet when he was attempting to drive through the barrier. A man present at the scene stated that Navreet was hit by the bullet, after which the tractor overturned.[141] The family referred to the mention of two "lacerated" wounds, one on Navreet's chin and the other behind his ear, in the post-mortem report. His family referred to the chin wound as entry and the deep gash above the ear as the 'exit wound' of the bullet. The family also released a video of Navreet's face, showing the deep holes visible in his left chin and above his right ear, making the point that this was a bullet injury.[139] The police in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana filed three sedition cases against journalists including India Today's Rajdeep Sardesai, and the Congress politician Shashi Tharoor for blaming Navreet's death on a gunshot.[139]

The protestors entered the Red Fort of Delhi,[142] and one of the farmers was seen climbing a flagpole in front of the fort and hoisting the religious flag Nishan Sahib on the flagpole.[143] The clash between police and farmers also caused damage to facilities inside the fort.[144] 394 policemen and thousands of farmers were reported injured, 30 police vehicles were damaged[8] and internet services were suspended for hours in several parts of Delhi and the NCR region.[145] The police took hours in vacating the fort premises after continuous announcements and use of force.[146][147]

Aftermath of kisan parade

After the 26th January tractor march where there were violent clashes between some protestors and the police,[148] the police constructed cement barricades, dug trenches and cemented nails at all three borders where farmers continue to protest.[149] The barricading and police has restricted movement of locals, farmers, as well as journalists to the protest sites.[150][151] At the Ghazipur border, farmer leaders allege that water and electricity supply was cut off.[152][153]

Counter-protests

The Shetkari Sanghatana, a farmers' union in Maharashtra supports the bills and wants the market to decide the prices of agricultural commodities. It claims that the minimum support prices have actually weakened farmers, instead of empowering them. The Sanghatana demands that the government stops intervening in the agricultural commodity market so that farmers will not have to depend on the minimum support prices.[154][155]

On 14 December, a group of 10 farmers' unions extended their support to the central government over its decision to undertake the necessary amendments in the three farm laws. Under the banner of the All India Kisan Coordination Committee, the group of farmers belonging to states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana expressed their support after a meeting with Narendra Singh Tomar.[156][157]

On 24 December, 20,000 Kisan Sena members marched to Delhi in support of farm laws.[158][159] However, five of the groups supporting the laws were directly linked with the ruling party and many do not have any relation to agriculture or farmers.[160]

Organization

Langar

Scores of langars and makeshift kitchens[161] have been deployed by farmer's organizations and NGOs to meet the food needs of the tens of thousands of farmers in the farmers-camps that have sprung up on the borders of Delhi after the Delhi Police barred the farmers from entering the city on 26 November 2020. These langars work round the clock and provide free food without distinction of caste, class, or religion.[162][163][164] The hot meals provided by the langars include lentils, seasonal vegetables, roti, buttermilk, and tea. Delhi-based media outlets have made significant commentary on some aspects of the langars, such as the use of mechanical roti makers which can cook 1000 roti an hour,[165] or when farmers were seen eating pizzas made by the langar at the Singhu border, which drew mockery of the farmer's movement.[166] The media also made adverse comments on farmer's consumption of dried fruits and nuts such as cashews and raisins at an "almond langar" provided by beneficent NRIs.[167] Organizations engaged in setting up and running langars include Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Committee at Singhu border; Baba Kashmir Singh ji Bhuriwale sect, Tikri border; Khalsa Aid; Dera Baba Jagtar Singh from Tarn Taran, Delhi based Jamindara Student Organisation; Gurdwara Head Darbar Kot Puran, Ropar, Muslim Federation of Punjab, and several others, including NRI-NGOs which have pitched in with aid in kind.[164][167][168] Along with the langars, a makeshift school has been set up at the camp, mostly for children who are unable to attend school due to financial issues and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.[169]

Accommodation and supplies

In addition to food, and tea, the farmers in the camps, are being supported by domestic and international NGOs, including UK based NGO Khalsa Aid, with provisions of tents, solar-powered mobile charging points, laundry, library, medical stalls, dental camp, which did tooth retraction, cleaning, filling, and scaling treatments, foot massage chairs for elderly protesters.[170]

Visuals from a section of the protests at the Singhu border

Security and control

At the Singhu border, farmers have installed eight CCTV cameras to keep a watch on the protest site, "[...] since there are so many people coming in now. We come to know of incidents where people with ulterior motives try to create problems. This way, we can keep a record of what is happening and counter any narrative to blame us for any anti-social activity," said a farmer from Sanyukt Kisan Morcha's CCTV department.[171]

Fatalities

On 20 December 2020, the day the farmer's collectively condoled the deaths of farmers, the death toll was 41.[172] On 30 December 2020, it was over 50.[173] On 2 January 2021, the estimate of dead-farmers had reached 57.[174][175] On 8 January 2021, the week following the onset of winter rains, death toll of farmers including death by suicide during farmer's satyagraha, according to leaders of the farmer's movement, had crossed 120.[176]

The first farmer to die was Dhanna Singh (age 45) of Mansa district in Punjab. He was a leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda). He died, on the night of 26 November 2020, according to farmer leaders and media reports, while trying to negotiate his tractor past the Haryana Police road barricade of sand-laden trucks and stones. He was on his way to join the farmers who had been stopped by the Delhi Police on 26 November, on the border of Haryana, and Delhi.[177][178]

26 November–20 December 2020

On 20 December, the death toll of farmers for the period 15 September to 20 December, according to media reports, was 41.[172] Of these 38 were from Punjab (30 from Malwa, six from Doaba,and two from Majha), and three from Haryana.[179][180][181][182][183][184][185] This total includes seven farmers who have died due to the cold and heart attacks at the Tikri border, and six at Singhu border, including Sant Baba Ram Singh, who committed suicide on 16 December. In the period 26 November – 18 December, according to Manoj Yadava,[186] Director-General of Police, Haryana, 25 farmers died (heart attacks and cold 14, accident 10, suicide 1).[187] This estimate however did not match with the estimated deaths in the 'struggle' by Dr Darshan Pal, the farmer leader, according to whom the death toll of farmers in the 'struggle' during this period is 35.[187]

21 December 2020–25 January 2021

Piara Singh, a 70-year-old poor farmer, and member of BKU (Dakaunda) died on 29 December, of pneumonia, in a Sangrur private hospital. Piara Singh, according to his elder brother, was part of the contingent participating in the farmer's-satyagraha since 26 November. Other farmers cremated on 29 December included Amarjeet Singh Rai in Jalalabad, and farm laborer Malkiat Kaur of Mazdoor Mukti Morcha in Mansa, Punjab.[173] On 1 January 2021, Galtan Singh, 57, of Baghpat, UP, who was part of the protesters at Ghazipur border, died after complaining of breathlessness. He became the first farmer fatality of 2021, and first reported farmer-death on the UP border.[188] On 2 January, three farmers died: two at the Tikri Border, and one at the Singhu border. In Tikri Jagbir Singh, 66, from Jind district, died of suspected heart-attack; and Jashnpreet, 18, from Bathinda, died after he was evacuated to after evacuation to PGIMS, Rohtak. Shamsher Singh, 44, a dalit farmer, who was in Singhu camp with his son, 13, died after he complained of chest pain, before reaching the hospital in Soneput, Haryana.[189]

26 January onwards

Navreet Singh, 25, resident of Rampur District, a student of Melbourne University on vacation in India, died while participating in farmers’ Republic Day tractor rally on 26 January 2021. He was the lone fatality during the farmer's rally. According to Delhi Police First Information Report (FIR), and the autopsy, Navreet Singh died from head injuries sustained in a tractor accident. Avinash Chandra, Additional Director General of Police (DGP) Bareilly Zone, whose jurisdiction includes Rampur, told reporters that the postmortem report has confirmed that Navreet Singh was not shot, and succumbed to antemortem injuries “received after his tractor toppled”.[190][191][192]

Navreet Singh's grandfather, Hardeep Singh Dibdiba, with whom he was staying, and other family members, have denied police version of events. They allege that Navneet Singh died from gunshot wounds from firing by Delhi police .[191]Journalists who reported Hardeep Singh's allegations have been charged with sedition by the Uttar Pradesh police. Those charged include Siddharth Varadarajan, Mrinal Pande, Rajdeep Sardesai, Vinod Jose, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath and Anant Nath, and Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP. Varadarajan has called the police FIR “malicious prosecution”.[193][191]

A freelance journalist, Mandeep Punia, was arrested by Delhi Police on 30 January in view of his reports regarding the violence that took place at Singhu border the day before. He was granted bail on 2nd February.[194]

Suicides
See also: Farmers' suicides in India

As of 9 January, 2021 the death toll of farmers by suicide to protest the government's farm policy was five. Sant Baba Ram Singh, a Sikh priest, shot himself on 16 December 2020 at the Singhu border in protest against the farm laws.[195][196] According to J.S. Randhawa, Senior Superintendent of Police, Sonepat, Haryana, Ram Singh, Left behind a 10-page note, dated 14 December, and a handwritten suicide letter, dated 16 December 2020, in which he wrote that he could not bear the pain of the farmers. At his funeral on 18 December, in Karnal, attended by farmer leaders, religious heads, and Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, the suicide letter was read out, 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."[197]

On 18 December, according to Joginder Singh Jawanda, BKU (Ugrahan) leader, a heavily indebted 22-year-old Punjab farmer, killed himself with poison in his village after returning from Singhu, the protest site on the Delhi border.[172] On 27 December, Amarjit Singh Rai, a lawyer, committed suicide by taking poison. Rai before he took his life wrote in a note that he was "sacrificing his life" in support of farmer's protest, and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "listen to the voice of the people".[198]

2 January 2021, Kashmir Singh Ladi, 75-year-old farmer from Bilaspur, Rampur district, Uttar Pradesh (UP), committed suicide. He was the fourth farmer suicide since the farm protesters were stopped on 26 November 2020, by UP Police on Delhi-UP Ghazipur Border, also called UP gate. Kashmir Singh who had been camping at the border since 28 November along with his son, and grandson, hanged himself in a toilet. Ladi, according to a government official, left a note in Punjabi, that says, "Till when shall we sit here in the cold? This government isn't listening at all. Hence, I give up my life so that some solution emerges."[174]

On 9 January 2021, it was reported that Amrinder Singh, a 40-year-old Punjabi farmer, had killed himself by swallowing 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 they were unable to resuscitate him.[199]

Homage to the dead

On 20 December, the 25th day of the protest, to honour the memory of 41 farmers who have died since 15 September, called shahid by the farmer's leaders, national 'Shradhanjali Diwas' (Homage and Remembrance Day), was observed at Singhu, Tikri, UP Gate, and Chilla, farmer-camps with largest farmer's presence on the borders of Delhi, and in town and villages all-round the country.[200][201] According to Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, general secretary of BKU (Ugrahan) simultaneous events were organized in 98 villages in 15 Punjab districts, on 20 December, to honour the dead. These commemorations continued till 24 December.[172][202]

On 4 January 2021, on the insistence of farmer's leaders, government ministers and officials of National Democratic Alliance Government participated in two-minute silence during the seventh round of talks between the government and farmers leaders held in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.[189]

Response and reactions

Domestic

On 17 September, the Food Processing Industries Union Minister, Harsimrat Kaur Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal, resigned from her post in protest against the bills.[203] On 26 September, Shiromani Akali Dal left the National Democratic Alliance.[204] On 30 November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised concerns over the issue of misled and radicalized farmers. He stated that "the farmers are being deceived on these historic agriculture reform laws by the same people who have misled them for decades", citing numerous times opposition members were convicted of spreading lies. Modi added that the old system was not being replaced, but instead, that new options were being put forward for the farmers. Several Union Ministers also made statements to this effect.[205][206]

On 1 December, Independent MLA Somveer Sangwan withdrew support from the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the Haryana Assembly.[207] The BJP's ally, the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) also asked the central government to consider giving a "written assurance of the continuation of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops."[208] On 17 December, the Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare wrote an open letter to farmers over the new laws.[31]

Talks between centre and farmers

Ten rounds of talks have taken place between the Centre and farmers (represented by farm unions) uptil 20 January 2021.[209][210] The meeting on 4 January was attended by three Union Ministers – agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar, and commerce ministers Piyush Goyal and Som Parkash.[209] The three Union Ministers declined the requests of scrapping the three new farm laws as it required more consultation with higher authorities.[211] It is reported that the two sides have managed to reach an agreement on two issues which the farmers are concerned by, the rise in power tariffs and penalties for stubble burning.[211][212]

The first round of talks were on 14 October 2020 in which the farmers walked out on finding that the agriculture secretary was present but not the minister.[213]

All-India Bandh

On 4 December, the farmers protesting on the outskirts of Delhi against the center's new agricultural laws called a nationwide strike on Tuesday, 8 December, saying they will block all roads to the capital, amid a stand-off with the government.[214] A day before the strike, the farmer's union announced that it would hold the strike between 11 am and 3 pm alone to avoid inconveniencing the public.[215]

Incidents of fake news

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.[216] Notable incidents of fake news include:

  • The general secretary of the BJP, Dushyant Kumar Gautam, alleged slogans of "Khalistan Zindabad" and "Pakistan Zindabad" being used during the protests.[217] On 28 November, the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that "unwanted elements" like radical Khalistan sympathizers have been seen among the peacefully and democratically protesting farmers.[218] These allegations were supported by news outlet, Times Now.[219] However, fact checks conducted by news outlet India Today as well as non-profit fact checking website, Alt News, both indicated that old images from a 2013 protest were being used to make false claims about Khalistani separatism during the farmers protests.[220][221] Protesters also have accused the national media of not telling the truth in relation to the laws.[222] A protester told Scroll.in that "The Modi media is calling us Khalistanis [...] We have been sitting peacefully for two month. That make us terrorists?"[222] Commentators have said that the Khalistan angle is being used to defame the protests.[223] The Editors Guild of India asked the media not label protesting farmers as "Khalistanis" or "anti-nationals" saying that "This goes against the tenets of responsible and ethical journalism. Such actions compromise the credibility of the media."[224]
  • In December 2020, Bharatiya Janata Party IT Cell's head, Amit Malviya, shared a misleading and fake video regarding the farmers' protests, claiming that there had been no police violence, in response to evidence of police violence shared by Congress politician Rahul Gandhi. Twitter flagged Malviya's video as 'manipulated media', placing a warning below the tweet to indicate that the content shared by Malviya was "deceptively altered or fabricated" with the intention of misleading people.[225][226][227]
  • A tweet by Canadian MP Jack Harris in support of the protest was falsely attributed to American Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris. Harris released a statement clarifying that she had not made the statement.[228]
  • The BJP's Punjab unit shared an advertisement containing what they claimed was of a 'happy farmer' supporting the new laws. The image was actually of a protesting farmer, who had not consented to their use of his image. After he publicly objected and filed a legal notice against the Punjab BJP, the image was replaced with a cartoon drawing of a farmer instead.[229][230][231]
  • Priti Gandhi, the social media for the BJP's Women's Cell, shared an image of farmers allegedly protesting the change to the state of Kashmir's constitutional status in 2019. This image was not taken during the farmers' protest, but was from a protest held in 2019 by the Shiromani Akali Dal political party.[228]
  • Several BJP politicians, including Union Minister Giriraj Singh, shared a video of police officials removing the turban of a Sikh protester, and falsely claimed that the protester was not Sikh but was in fact Muslim, and further claimed that this was evidence of Muslims instigating protests. This video had previously been shared during the 2019 Citizenship Act protests and was debunked as fake then, despite which it was shared again during the 2020 farmers' protests to raise allegations against Muslim citizens.[232]
  • In January 2021, a user generated National Geographic Magazine cover was circulated as a real cover depicting the farmers' protest as the cover story.[233]
  • In January 2021, several BJP leaders, including Jawahar Yadav, and Facebook fan pages of Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused protesting farmers of vandalizing signboards on highways, sharing images of such signboards. The images were later established as being taken from old news articles covering protests in 2017 about the placement of Punjabi language signs on these boards.[234]
  • Rajdeep Sardesai a prominent news and media personality who has been a vocal supporter of Farmers protest, spread a fake news story of a Farmer being killed by Delhi Police during the violence of the Tractor Parade on 26th January. India Today took the noted media personality off air and deducted one months pay for his brazen and unverified remarks.[235]
  • In January 2021, Zee News aired a video of decorated tractors, claiming that it was evidence of a forthcoming protest by farmers, and commenting, "Why use such tractors of terror in the farmer protests? Are these tractors a means of waging war with the law? Are these farmers’ tractors or terror tractors?". The video in question contained persons speaking in German and was confirmed as having been taken from a rally conducted in Germany in December 2020, in which tractors were decorated, and displayed to raise funds for children who were being treated for cancer.[236]

Allegations of conspiracy

The Union Minister for Food, Railway and Consumer Affairs, Piyush Goyal has described the protesting farmers as "Leftist and Maoist" and being "hijacked" by unknown conspirators.[237] Former Rajya Sabha MP and vice-president of BJP in Himachal Pradesh, Kripal Parmar stated, "The protest is driven by vested interest of few anti-national elements."[238] Union Minister and BJP politician Raosaheb Danve has alleged an international conspiracy, claiming that China and Pakistan are behind the ongoing protests by farmers.[239] BJP MLA Surendra Singh said, "....this is a sponsored agitation by anti-national forces and has foreign funding."[240] BJP Uttarakhand chief Dushyant Kumar Gautam stated that the protests had been 'hijacked' by "terrorists" and "anti-national" forces.[241] Several BJP leaders have blamed what they have called the 'Tukde Tukde Gang' – a pejorative term used by the BJP and its supporters, against anyone who disagrees with its politics, which implies that the person supports secession – as instigating the protests, and linked them to previous protests about India's citizenship laws. Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has accused such unnamed conspirators of instigating the protests, as has Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.[242] In response to the BJP's claims, Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, claimed that the BJP was the real 'Tukde Tukde Gang' and trying to divide Punjab.[243] BJP General Secretary Manoj Tiwari has also described the protesting farmers as "urban naxals".[244] Rajasthan BJP leader Madan Dilawar has accused protesting farmers of "conspiring" to spread avian influenza in India after reports of some cases of avian flu were made in January. Dilawar claimed that protesting farmers were spreading avian influenza by "eating chicken biryani and cashew nuts/almonds" although he did not clarify how these foods and avian influenza are connected.[245]

Opposition to the claims of conspiracy has been voiced from within the BJP and outside it. BJP leader Surjit Singh Jyani, who was part of a committee that negotiated with several farmers unions, vocally opposed the claims, stating, "This type of language should be avoided. We know many farmers groups are Left-leaning but branding them tukde tukde gang and anti-national will not end the deadlock."[246] Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader, Uddhav Thackeray has voiced opposition to the labelling of protesters as "anti-national", pointing to some confusion among BJP leaders about the source of the allegations of conspiracy.[247] He stated, "BJP leaders should decide who farmers are – are they Leftist, Pakistani, or they have come from China."[247] The conspiracy claims have also been opposed by Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress politician, Ashok Gehlot, who urged the government to come to an "amicable solution" with protesting farmers "...instead of blaming gangs, anti-national elements for these protests."[248]

International
A small scale protest in New York City in support of the farmers in December 2020
  • Australia: Victoria Member of Parliament Rob Mitchell and Russell Wortley were among the Labour leaders who spoke in support of the farmers' protests, with Mitchell addressing the Victorian parliament on the subject after several protests were held in Australia by citizens.[249]
  • Canada: Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada expressed concerns about the supposed mishandling of protests by the Indian government. He was the very first politician on international grounds to speak for the farmers.[250] Trudeau stated that "Canada will always be there to defend the right of peaceful protestors" and expressed support for "the process of dialogue."[251] In response, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Canadian High Commissioner to India, Nadir Patel, and issued a démarche, stating that Trudeau's comments were "an unacceptable interference in our internal affairs".[252] Trudeau reiterated his statement despite the Indian Government's warning that his comments threatened diplomatic relations between the two countries.[253] On Saturday, 5 December, hundreds of supporters protested in downtown Toronto and Vancouver, gathering in front of the Indian consulate in both cities to show their support.[254][255] Organized by members of the Sikh community, the demonstrators stood in solidarity with the farmers and their right to peacefully protest.
  • Italy: Indian Ambassador to Italy Neena Malhotra visited a gurudwara in Rome in December as part of an outreach effort by the Indian government to Sikhs amid the farm protests. Malhotra received backlash on social media when the Embassy claimed she had been well received during the visit. However, Malhotra was heckled by members of the gurudwara management committee while she spoke in favor of the new farm laws.[256][257]
  • New Zealand: In early December 2020, 1,500 Indian New Zealanders protested in Auckland's Aotea Square against the new agricultural laws.[258]
  • Pakistan: Federal minister Fawad Chaudhry from Punjab, Pakistan called out the Indian government's behavior with Punjabi farmers and termed it "shameful". He further stated that Modi's policies were "threats for regional peace".[259]
  • United Kingdom: Several Labour MPs in the United Kingdom expressed support for the protests and raised concerns about the government response to protesters, including Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Preet Kaur Gill and John McDonnell.[260][261] A few British MPs and cricketer Monty Panesar also tweeted in support of farmers.[262] In December 2020, a group of 36 British MPs from the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party asked the British Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, to raise their concerns with the Indian government.[263][264] The British prime minister Boris Johnson, after being confronted with the issue, confused it with the India–Pakistan conflict, drawing criticism domestically and in India.[265][266]
  • United States: Several Indian-American protests were held in support of the farmers, with rallies being held outside Indian consulates in San Francisco, Chicago, Indianapolis, New York City, Houston, Michigan, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.[267][268][269] A rally of over a thousand Indian Americans was also held in Detroit,[270] and a car rally was held in Fort Wayne.[271] Several American Congressmen from both the Republican and Democratic parties voiced support for these protests, including Josh Harder, TJ Cox, Doug LaMalfa, and Andy Levin.[272] In December 2020, seven Congresspersons wrote to the Secretary of State, asking him raise the issue of the farmers' protests with India.[273][274]

Organisations
  • United Nations: António Guterres, secretary-general, called on the Indian government to allow the protests, affirming the right to voice opposition to the government, stating "...People have a right to demonstrate peacefully and authorities need to let them do so."[275]
  • International Monetary Fund: Gerry Rice, Director of Communications IMF, said that the agriculture reforms have the potential to represent a significant step forward for agricultural reforms in India. He contended that the bills will eventually reduce middlemen and improve efficiency. He also remarked that a "social safety net" should be there to protect "those who might be adversely impacted during the transition to this new system".[276]
  • Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch issued a statement on 2 February calling on the Indian government to drop "baseless criminal charges" against journalists covering the protests.[277]

Academics

Agricultural economist Ashok Gulati has been vocal in his support for the bills and contends that the bills are bold steps in the right direction.[278] The Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund, Gita Gopinath, said the "farm bills and labour bills are very important steps in the right direction. They have the potential to have more labour market flexibility, providing greater social security to workers and more formalisation of the labour market. In the case of agriculture, having a much more integrated market, creating competition, having farmers getting a greater share of the price that finally the retail price that's paid. So that helps with rural incomes". She also stressed that the implementation of it must be right.[279] Milind Sathye, a professor at the University of Canberra asserts that the new laws will "enable farmers to act together and join hands with the private sector and that the previous system had led to growing farm debt and farmers suicides, among other problems".[280] Rajshri Jayaraman, Associate Economics Professor at the University of Toronto, states that "the bills are confusing and to pass legislation like this affects the largest single sector of the economy and the poorest people in an already poor country during a pandemic."[281]

On 1 January 2021, 866 academicians from across India came out in support of the three farm laws. This includes seven vice-chancellors and academicians from Delhi University, JNU, Rajasthan University, Gujarat University, Allahabad University and Banaras Hindu University among others.[282][283] Kaushik Basu, former chief economist at the World Bank, supports the cause of the peasants, against the position of Arvind Panagariya, former Chief Economist at the Asian Development Bank.[284] Hansong Li, a Chinese scholar at Harvard University, argues that although India's farm reforms bear resemblance to China's own market-oriented agricultural reforms, India lacks the risk-mitigation mechanisms in the Chinese context, and that the overall crisis has shown a lack of public trust and cohesion in India.[285]

Repudiation of awards

Former Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal returned his Padma Vibhushan award to the President of India on 3 December 2020, in his support of the farmers' protest. On 4 December 2020, environmentalist Baba Sewa Singh returned his Padma Shri Award.[286] Punjabi folk singer Harbhajan Mann refused to accept the Shiromani Punjabi Award by the Punjab Languages Department of the Government of Punjab, India in support of the protests.[287]

Rajya Sabha MP and SAD(D) president Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa also announced that he would return his Padma award due to his personal support of the protests.[288]

Social media

Videos and images of the protests have helped bring awareness to the farmers cause and many have gone viral including one of a police officer with baton raised in hand towards an elderly Sikh man, Sukhdev Singh.[289] Fake news also circulated such as a morphed video claiming that no violence in this incident had occurred was shared by BJP leader Amit Malviya; however, this video was flagged as being misinformation by Twitter, and the video was criticized publicly as being propaganda.[289] Alternately, protestors wielding swords circulated on the media following the Republic Day protests; over 300 policemen were injured on the 26th.[4][290][3]

Hashtags are also being used by youth to show their support and ensure that their hashtags like #FarmersProtest, #standwithfarmerschallenge, #SpeakUpForFarmers, #iamwithfarmers, #kisanektazindabaad, #tractor2twitter, #isupportfarmersare[291] trending to keep the subject relevant on the various social media platforms. Another purpose for the youth posting on social media is to counter the negative posts. These posts also benefit the unions and help them to reach the public about their issues and concerns.[291]

On 20 December 2020, Facebook removed a page named Kisan Ekta Morcha, an official news source from farmers' protest. It was later brought back after public outrage. Since then both Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram has been accused of removing and shadow banning content that spoke for farmers in favor of BJP led government, an accusation it has faced in past too.[292]

In early February a "social media war" erupted after a tweet by Rihanna saying "why aren’t we talking about this?!" with the hashtag #FarmersProtest. Numerous celebrities and international figures came out in support such as Meena Harris, Greta Thunberg, Jim Costa, Lilly Singh, Rupi Kaur, Russ, Mia Khalifa, Claudia Webbe, Jamie Margolin, Elizabeth Wathuti.[293] Following this the Indian Ministry of External affairs came out with a clarification statement with the hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda. Indian celebrities such as Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Suniel Shetty, Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor, Lata Mangeshkar, Kailash Kher, Ravi Shastri, Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, P. T. Usha, Manika Batra, Saina Nehwal, Geeta Phogat also posted tweets with the hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda.[294][295][296] The Ministry of External Affairs statement characterised a "small section of farmers" as protesting against the legislation and highlighted the Prime Minister's offer to keep the laws on hold.[297]

Protest Toolkit

On February 3, Greta Thunberg uploaded a document on Twitter which allegedly guided protestors about protests and on how to mobilise people against India and target Indian interests/embassies abroad. It contained actions taken up to 26 January 2021, future actions to undertake, hashtags which trended and would trend, celebrities who would be sympathetic to these protests and solidarity videos etc. She soon deleted the tweet saying that the document was "outdated", and uploaded another toolkit to support protests, sparking a further row.[298][299] The Times of India reported that an initial probe by the Modi government, into the source of the toolkit that Thunberg posted, suggested that it was put together by a Canadian pro-Khalistan organization based in Vancouver, and that the toolkit had a plan to carry forward the "malign Indian campaign", even if the government repealed the laws. According to one official, "This showed how sinister the entire campaign was".[300]

Super Bowl

On February 7, Sikh farmers in California's Central Valley funded a 30-second ad which ran during Super Bowl LV in support of the protesters in India.[301]

Supreme Court of India involvement

The Supreme Court of India has received numerous petitions seeking direction to remove protesting farmers from blocking access routes to the capital. The Supreme Court has also conveyed to the central government that it intends to set up a body for taking forward the negotiations.[35][36] On 17 December, the Supreme Court acknowledged the right to peaceful protest but added, "you (farmers) have a purpose also and that purpose is served only if you talk, discuss and reach a conclusion".[302][303] The central government opposed the court's recommendation of putting on hold the implementation of the farm laws.[304][305] Agitating farmer unions have decided to consult Prashant Bhushan, Dushyant Dave, HS Phoolka and Colin Gonsalves as far as the Supreme Court proceedings go.[306]

A plea submitted by several students of Panjab University on 2 December 2020 was registered by the Supreme Court as a public petition on 4 January 2021.[38] The plea was in the form of a letter which called out police excesses, illegal detentions of protesters, "misrepresentation, polarization and sensationalisation" by media channels and approached the matter on humanitarian grounds.[38] A student who drafted the petition informed The Wire that "over the course of over 100 days of the farmers' protest, this is the first petition filed in favour of the protest".[38]

Farmers have said they will not listen to the courts if told to back off or even if the laws are stayed.[39][40] Farmer union leaders have also raised the issue of the government "dodging dialogue" since the "SC has said earlier that it will not intervene". Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala made a statement in this regard, "Why does the government want the SC to solve all contentious issues, from the CAA and the National Register of Citizens to farm laws?"[39]

The Chief Justice of Supreme Court of India Justice SA Bobde, along with justices V. Ramasubramanian and A. S. Bopanna have heard the matters stemming from the farm laws.

On 11 January 2021 the Chief Justice of India said during hearings, "We are not experts on agriculture and economics. Tell us whether you (the government) will put these laws on hold or else we will do it. What's the prestige issue here? [...] We don't know if you are part of the solution or part of the problem [...] We have an apprehension that someday maybe, there might be a breach of peace. Each one of us will be responsible if anything goes wrong [...] If the vast majority says that laws are good, let them say it to (a) committee."[307] The Court also stated to the government that they were "...extremely disappointed at the way government is handling all this (farmers protests). We don't know what consultative process you followed before the laws. Many states are up in rebellion."[308] The Court also rejected a claim by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the "vast majority" of farmers supported the laws, stating that they had not received any submissions from any person that the laws were beneficial.[309][310]

Supreme Court farm laws committee

On 12 January 2021 Supreme court of India suspended the farm laws and formed a committee to look into the grievances of protesting farmers. The CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde requested the farmer unions to cooperate.[311] The members of the committee included agriculture experts Ashok Gulati, Pramod Kumar Joshi, Anil Ghanwat and Bhupinder Singh Mann.[312] However two days later Bhupinder Singh Mann recused himself and released a press statement,[313]

"As a farmer myself and a Union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not to compromise the interest of Punjab and farmers of the Country, I am recusing myself from the Committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab"

Irrespective of Mann recusing himself and the following criticism, the Supreme Court and the remaining members of the Supreme Court appointed continued with the tasks outlined to the committee. Criticism raised related to bias in appointing the committee was addressed by the Supreme Court:[314]

Where is the question of bias when the Committee is not given any power to adjudicate. We have asked them to hear the grievances of farmers and give us a report [...] You unthinkingly cast aspersions on people because they have expressed some opinion in the past and you think they are disqualified to sit in the Committee. This has become a culture of branding people whom you do not want and criticising them. The reputation of people we appointed has been torn to shreds. Public opinion is important but it is not determinative for the Court to decide.

The committee has called on the public for suggestions by 20 February 2021.[19]

Fallout

As fallout of the growing belief amongst protesting farmers that Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani were the principal beneficiaries of the farm laws enacted by the NDA Government, Punjab and Haryana farmers, in protest, decided to surrender Jio-sims and switch to rival networks.[315][316][317] A number of Reliance jio telecom towers and other infrastructure were damaged in the Punjab in the last week of December 2020.[7] Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh appealed to the farmers to stop disrupting the communication towers.[316][318]

On 30 December, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh took exception to the Punjab Governor Vijayender Pal Singh Badnore summoning state's chief secretary and the Director-General of Punjab Police Dinkar Gupta. Gupta has served as DG of Intelligence of Punjab police, and with Intelligence Bureau for eight years before being appointed DG Punjab police.[319] Amarinder Singh alleged that Badnore had bowed to the "antics of the BJP" which has falsely claimed breakdown of law and order in Punjab. He called upon the BJP to stop slandering the farmers with terms like `Naxalites', `Khalistanis,' and prevail BJP central leadership to pay heed to the voice of the farmers and repeal the draconian farm laws.[320]

Since the beginning of protests many songs have been released by singers, songwriters describing the protest and showing unity and solidarity.[321] Several clips of the protest featured in an international collaboration "Ek Din" by Bohemia, The Game and Karan Aujla.[322] Canadian rapper Nav also came out in support of the farmers.[323] Kanwar Grewal who has been involved in gathering support for the protests since the beginning said "Wherever Punjabis are settled in the world, they will always be connected to their roots, their land, and their community", and praised the support of those who were living abroad.[324]

  • "Sunn Dilliye" by Damanjot
  • "Kisaan Anthem" by Shree Brar
  • "Ailan" and "Jawani Zindabad" by Kanwar Grewal
  • "Pecha" by Harf Cheema, Kanwar Grewal
  • "Delhi Aa Punjab Nal Pange Thik Nahi" by R Nait
  • "Asi Vaddange" by Himmat Sandhu
  • "Jatta Takda Hoja" by Jass Bajwa
  • "Haq and Murrde ni laye bina haq, Dilliye" by Harbhajan Mann
  • "Farmers' Protest – Theme Song" by Bidita Bag

See also

Footnotes
  1. Kisān (किसान) means farmer in Hindi.

References
  1. AIKSCC holds protest against Agri Ordinances Archived 4 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine. 9 August 2020, The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  2. Chand, Sakshi (2021-01-28). "Outnumbered, but not outdone: Injured cops recall Republic Day horror". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  3. "Over 300 cops injured in farmers' tractor rally violence: Delhi Police". mint. 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  4. Sengar, Mukesh Singh (2021-01-26). "Over 80 Delhi Police Personnel Injured After Clashes With Farmers". NDTV. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  5. "Farmers' Protest: Haryana Govt Digs Trenches to Stop Delhi March, Farmers Undeterred". www.thequint.com. 2020-11-27. Archived from the original on 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  6. "Protestors damage over 1,500 telecom towers in Punjab". Archived from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  7. "Over 150 telecom towers damaged in Punjab due to farmers' protest". Hindustan Times Tech. PTI. 2020-12-27. Archived from the original on 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  8. Paliwal, Aishwarya (2021-01-27). "Farmer leaders betrayed Delhi Police, 394 cops injured, 19 arrests made: Commissioner". India Today. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  9. Rai, Arpan, ed. (2021-01-08). "'Repeal farm laws today itself': Farmers message to govt ahead of talks". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  10. Kaur, Pawanjot (2020-12-25). "A Month on, Farmers Remain Resolute Over Repeal of Farm Laws". The Wire. Archived from the original on 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  11. Sanyal, Anindita, ed. (2020-12-16). "Will "Make" Government Repeal Farm Laws: Farmers Harden Stance - 10 Points". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2020-12-31. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  12. "No Alternative To Demands For MSP Guarantee, Repealing Farm Laws: Farmer Leaders". NDTV. PTI. 2021-01-01. Archived from the original on 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  13. Iftikhar, Fareeha (2021-01-12). "Farmers reject SC committee, demand repeal of farm laws". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2021-01-19. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  14. Dasgupta, Sravasti (2021-01-22). "Eleventh round of talks between Modi govt and farmers fails, no date for next meeting". ThePrint. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  15. "Farm laws stir: Talks with Centre '120% fail', say farmer leaders; next round on January 19". Scroll.in. 2021-01-15. Archived from the original on 2021-01-15. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  16. "Farmers protest: Rakesh Tikait holds show of strength, warns govt of 'gaddi wapsi' demand". The Times of India. PTI. 2021-02-03. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  17. "BJP Might Face Gaddi Wapsi If It Refuses To Carry Out Bill Wapsi: Farmer Leader Rakesh Tikait". Outlook India. PTI. 2021-02-03. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  18. "Government will abide by Supreme Court order on farm laws: President Kovind". The Hindu. Special Correspondent. 2021-01-29. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-02-09.CS1 maint: others (link)
  19. "Supreme Court-appointed farm laws committee invites views, suggestions before February 20". India Legal. 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  20. "Farm Bills have potential to represent significant step forward for agriculture reforms in India: IMF". The Hindu. PTI. 2021-01-15. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  21. Palnitkar, Vaibhav (2020-09-21). "Here's Why Farmers Are Protesting the 3 New Agriculture Ordinances". The Quint. Archived from the original on 2020-10-31. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
  22. Gettleman, Jeffrey; Singh, Karan Deep; Kumar, Hari (2020-11-30). "Angry Farmers Choke India's Capital in Giant Demonstrations". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  23. "Ordinance to put farmers at mercy of corporates". The Tribune (Chandigarh). 2020-06-15. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  24. Kulkarni, Sagar (2020-09-22). "Now, farmers will be back to serfdom, at the mercy of big corporates: Manish Tewari". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 2020-10-06. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  25. Singh, Prashasti, ed. (2020-09-28). "Farmers across India protest against farm bills. In photos". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2020-10-05. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  26. "PM Modi reaches out to farmers amid anger". Hindustan Times. 2020-09-28. Archived from the original on 2020-10-08. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  27. Mathur, Swati (2020-09-28). "Farm bills 2020: President Kovind gives assent to controversial farm bills, laws come into force immediately". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-10-03. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  28. Joy, Shemin (2020-11-26). "At least 25 crore workers participated in general strike; some states saw complete shutdown: Trade unions". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  29. Mahajan, Anilesh S. (2020-11-30). "What agitating farmers want, and why the Centre may not oblige". India Today. Archived from the original on 2020-12-06. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  30. "Farmer unions agree to sit for talks with the government today". mint. 2020-12-01. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  31. "'I come from farming family,' Tomar writes open letter to farmers; PM Modi urges to read". Hindustan Times. 2020-12-17. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  32. "Farmers' protest: Transporters threaten to halt operations in North India from Dec 8". Tribuneindia News Service. 2020-12-02. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  33. "Indian farmers vow to intensify protests after talks fail again". Al Jazeera English. 2020-12-05. Archived from the original on 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  34. "Farmers lay siege to toll plazas in Haryana, allow free movement of vehicles". Hindustan Times. 2020-12-12. Archived from the original on 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  35. "Farm protests: Supreme Court intends to set up committee for negotiations, posts matter for Thursday". The Times of India. 2020-12-16. Archived from the original on 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  36. Vaidyanathan, A (2020-12-16). Sanyal, Anindita (ed.). "Centre-Farmers' Committee, Suggests Supreme Court, Or "Talks Will Fail"". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  37. Mahapatra, Dhananjay (2020-12-18). "Delhi farmers protest news: Consider putting on hold new farm laws, says Supreme Court to govt". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  38. "Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Panjab University Students' Plea on Farmers' Protest". The Wire. 2021-01-05. Archived from the original on 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  39. Tandon, Aditi (2021-01-09). "Farmers firm: Won't back off, even if told by courts". Tribuneindia News Service. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  40. "Staying implementation of farm laws not a solution: Farmer leaders". Business Standard India. PTI. 2021-01-11. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  41. "Govt agrees on power subsidy, stubble curbs; talks on MSP, repeal to continue". The Indian Express. 2020-12-31. Archived from the original on 2020-12-31. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  42. "Tractor rally: Why protesting farmers deviated from original routes". www.msn.com. Hindustan Times. 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  43. "India protest: Farmers breach Delhi's Red Fort in huge tractor rally". BBC News. 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  44. "Clashes At Farmers' Protest Site After Group Barges In, 2 Cops Injured". NDTV. 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  45. Bhardwaj, Ananya (2021-01-27). "3 reasons why Delhi Police failed to stop farmers from storming the heart of the capital". ThePrint. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  46. "Red Fort violence: Delhi police detain 200 after farmer protests". BBC News. 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  47. "Chaos in the republic: The rampage of protesting farmers - A full-proof plan gone wrong". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  48. "Anti-farm laws protestors wave flags from ramparts of Red Fort in Delhi". The Daily Guardian. ANI. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  49. "Republic Day Violence: Delhi Police Register 4 FIRs for Rioting, Damage to Public Property". News18. PTI. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  50. Hannah Ellis-Petersen; Aakash Hassan (2021-01-26). "Violent clashes as Indian farmers storm Delhi's Red Fort". The Guardian.
  51. Bera, Sayantan (2018-10-01). "Small and marginal farmers own just 47.3% of crop area, shows farm census". mint. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  52. "Categorisation of Farmers". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2019-02-05. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  53. Sainath, P. (2014-07-21). "Maharashtra crosses 60,000 farm suicides". www.ruralindiaonline.org. People's Archive of Rural India (PARI). Archived from the original on 2019-03-25. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  54. Sainath, P (2014-07-14). "Have India's farm suicides really declined?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2020-11-11. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  55. Sengupta, Rajit (2020-09-03). "Every day, 28 people dependent on farming die by suicide in India". Down to Earth. Archived from the original on 2020-12-15. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  56. Ravi, Shamika (2020-12-10). "From debt to unemployment, Punjab's entire economy needs reform, not just agriculture". The Print. Archived from the original on 2020-12-20. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  57. Sathe, Dhanmanjiri (2020-12-21). "Current agitation is a reflection of lack of large-scale industrialisation in Punjab". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2021-01-04. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  58. "Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's interview with Wall Street Journal Editorial Board". Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. 2004-09-22. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  59. "Be proud, Modi implementing Manmohan's dream: PM in Rajya Sabha". The Indian Express. 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  60. Mishra, Himanshu Shekhar (2021-02-08). Ghosh, Deepshikha (ed.). "PM Urges Farmers to End Protest; Quotes Manmohan Singh In Dig At Critics". NDTV. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  61. Deogharia, Jaideep (2015-06-29). "PM calls for second Green Revolution". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  62. "North East has potential to initiate second Green Revolution: PM Narendra Modi". The Economic Times. 2016-01-19. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  63. "Narendra Modi: 'Make way not for 2nd green revolution, but for evergreen revolution,' says PM Modi". The Times of India. 2017-05-26. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  64. "The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020". PRSIndia. 2020-09-14. Archived from the original on 2020-11-26. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  65. Agriculture ordinances key questions Archived 10 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine. 24 June 2020, The Wire. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  66. Lok Sabha passes farm bills amid opposition protest Archived 26 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine. 18 September 2020, Times of India. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  67. Rajya sabha passes farm bills Archived 23 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine. 20 September 2020, The Hindu. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  68. "Parliament passes amendments to essential commodities law". The Hindu. PTI. 2020-09-22. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-10-05. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  69. President signs 3 farm bills passed Archived 19 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine. 28 September 2020, NDTV. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  70. "Farm Laws Are Unconstitutional; but Will Supreme Court Strike Them Down?". The Leaflet. Archived from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  71. Dhingra, Swati (2021-01-14). "Farm laws: What India can learn from Kenya's agri experiment". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2021-01-15. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  72. Bhatia, Varinder (2020-12-01). "Explained: Who are the farmers protesting in Delhi, and why?". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  73. "Agitating farmers hand over letter to Centre, demand special Parliament session to repeal new farm laws". Zee News. 2020-12-03. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  74. "Bharat Bandh: What are the demands of farmers? – Here's all you need to know". The Free Press Journal. 2020-12-08. Archived from the original on 2020-12-10. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
    Tripathi, Anjali (2020-12-07). "6 Demands Of Farmers Which Seem Unreasonable Even to an Unbiased Lay Man". ED Times. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  75. Hebbar, Nistula; Jebaraj, Priscilla (2020-12-02). "Dilli Chalo | Farmers demand special Parliament session to repeal farm laws". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  76. "Farmers' apprehensions about role of mandis, terms of procurement under new laws need to be addressed". The Indian Express. 2020-12-03. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  77. Sehgal, Manjeet (2020-11-26). "Why Punjab farmers are marching towards New Delhi | Explained". India Today. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  78. "Swaminathan Report: National Commission on Farmers". PRSIndia. 2017-03-07. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  79. Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (2020-11-30). "Indian farmers march on Delhi in protest against agriculture laws". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  80. "Farmers Protest: What exactly are the farmers agitating about? What are they demanding from the government?". Gaonconnection | Your Connection with Rural India. 2020-11-28. Archived from the original on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  81. "JJP seeks withdrawal of cases against protesting farmers". ANI News. Archived from the original on 2020-12-07. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  82. "Farmers reject government's proposal to stay farm laws for 18 months". The Times of India. 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  83. Dasgupta, Sravasti (2020-12-05). "No takers for govt's offer to amend farm laws, farmers say nothing short of repeal acceptable". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  84. Pradhan, Bibhudatta (2021-01-22). "Negotiations Between Farmers, Indian Government End in Stalemate". MSN.com. Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
  85. "Farmers Protest Live News: Round 11 talks inconclusive as farmers, government firm on their stands". The Financial Express. 2021-01-22. Archived from the original on 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  86. "Markandey Katju asks government to repeal farm laws to prevent Jalianwala Bagh type massacre situation on Republic Day". India Legal. 2021-01-14. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  87. "Repeal farm laws, says Thirumavalavan". The Hindu. 2021-01-13. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  88. Indian Farmers observe Bharat Bandh in protest against agriculture bills. Archived 8 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine 25 September 2020, The Statesman. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  89. Farmers protest in Punjab and Haryana. Archived 30 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine 25 September2020, NDTV. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  90. Farmers protest in Karnataka Archived 29 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine. 29 September 2020, The Economics Time. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  91. Tamil Nadu farmers protest with human skulls on bharat bandh. Archived 21 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine 25 September 2020 News 18. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  92. Farm bodies protest against farm bills in Odisha. Archived 27 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine 26 September 2020, Times of India. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  93. Farm bills protest organised in more than 250 centers in Kerala Archived 9 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine 25 September 2020, The Hindu. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  94. Farmers across India continue to protest against three farm acts. Archived 2 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine 28 September 2020, Times of India. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  95. "Explained: The Railways network in Punjab, and how it has been impacted by the ongoing protests". The Indian Express. 2020-11-11. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  96. "Protest may intensify, farmers from 4 states look to join stir". Hindustan Times. 2020-11-28. Archived from the original on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  97. "'Godi media murdabad': Protesting farmers hit out at media, refuse to speak to some channels". Newslaundry. Archived from the original on 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  98. "Bullock cart rally held to protest farm laws – Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-14. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  99. "Modi government is scared, says farmers' alliance Samyukt Kisan Morcha". Tribune India. 2020-11-25. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  100. Nath, Rajan (2020-12-08). "Farmers protest: Ruldu Singh Mansa, Bogh Singh join meeting with Amit Shah". PTC NEWS. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  101. "Farmer protest: आंदोलन के समर्थन में किसानों ने श्योपुर में टोल प्लाजा बंद कराया" [Farmer protest: In solidarity with the farmer's protest, farmers in Sheopur closed down a toll plaza]. Nai Dunia (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 2020-12-29. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  102. "Amarinder speaks to Shah, again assures smooth train movement". The Indian Express. 2020-11-09. Archived from the original on 2020-11-27. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  103. "Farmers extend rail-roko protest till October 21". Hindustan Times. 2020-10-17. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  104. Sethi, Chitleen K. (2020-11-09). "BJP sets up talks between farmers, Rajnath & Goyal to end deadlock over Punjab train services". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  105. "Dilli Chalo | Farmers' protest enters fifth day". The Hindu. PTI. 2020-11-30. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  106. "Expired tear gas shells used in Haryana to disperse Punjab farmers". Tribuneindia News Service. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  107. "At Least Three Deaths Reported During Farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' Protest". The Wire. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  108. Singh, Jaskaran (2020-11-27). "Haryana: Ambala man who climbed water cannon to turn it off during farm agitation booked under attempt to murder charge". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-07. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  109. "Farmer climbs atop police vehicle during protest, turns off water cannon; photo goes viral". Tribuneindia News Service. 2020-11-27. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  110. "Nationwide strike affects normal life in Kerala, Odisha, other states; over 25 crore workers join agitation: Trade unions". The Tribune (Chandigarh). 2020-11-26. Archived from the original on 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  111. "Farmers protest: Two lakh more set to reach Delhi in 40km-long cavalcade". Business Standard. 2020-11-28. Archived from the original on 2020-12-06. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  112. "Farmers continue to protest against Central farm laws, BKU asks 'why they should shift to Delhi's Burari'". ca.finance.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2020-12-10. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  113. "Punjab farmers' body refuses to attend meeting with Centre". Tribuneindia News Service. Archived from the original on 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  114. Jagga, Raakhi (2020-11-29). "Punjab farmer unions reject Amit Shah's offer, firm on protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  115. "Farmers call for Bharat Bandh on Dec 8, threaten to intensify stir; 5th round of talks today | Top Developments". India Today. 2020-12-04. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  116. "Haryana farmers to burn effigies of PM, business tycoons today". The Indian Express. 2020-12-04. Archived from the original on 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  117. "Farmers Protest Highlights: Farmers "Reject Government's Proposals" Even As Centre Assures MSP". NDTV.com. 2020-12-10. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  118. "Farmers block Jaipur-Delhi highway in Rajasthan's Alwar". The Tribune. Archived from the original on 2020-12-13. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  119. Mitra, Esha; Regan, Helen. "Hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers ramp up their protest by riding tractors into New Delhi". CNN. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
  120. Ananya Bhardwaj (2021-01-28). "Not shot but crushed by tractor — post mortem on farmer who died in Delhi protests reveals". The Print.
  121. Khan, Zara, ed. (2021-01-04). "Farmers' protest: Delhi's Chilla, Ghazipur borders remain partially closed". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2021-01-06. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  122. "Delhi borders remain closed due to farmers' stir, traffic diverted". Hindustan Times. 2021-01-03. Archived from the original on 2021-01-08. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  123. "Farmers' protest: Avoid these roads in Delhi to skip traffic snarls on Saturday". India Today. 2020-11-27. Archived from the original on 2020-11-28. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  124. Dwivedi, Sukirti (2020-11-29). "Farmers' March: Road Blocks Leave Delhi-Haryana Commuters Frustrated". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  125. "Farmers' Protest Highlights: Protesting farmers refuse to budge, say 'demands are non-negotiable'". The Indian Express. 2020-12-01. Archived from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  126. "Farmers' protests: Farmers face pressure to leave protest sites". The Hindu. 2021-01-28.
  127. Kumar, Anuj (2021-01-28). "Farmers' protests: Pressure mounts on protesters at Ghazipur border". The Hindu. Ghaziabad.
  128. "Farmers' protest: Clashes break out at Singhu border; lathi charge, tear gas used". The Times of India. Press Trust Of India. 2021-01-29.
  129. "Protest sites turn fortresses: Barricades strengthened, roads studded with nails". The Times of India. 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  130. "Farmers-govt standoff: Getting into protest sites now tough as nails". The Indian Express. 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  131. Welle, Deutsche. "India farmer protesters clash with police on Republic Day | DW | 26.01.2021". Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  132. Bhatia, Gurman (2021-01-29). "Tractors to Delhi". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  133. Revathi Krishnan (2021-01-26). "Breaking barriers to Red Fort march – timeline of how farmer protest turned ugly within hours". The Print.
  134. Arvind Ojha (2021-01-26). "86 cops injured in farmers protest, several admitted: Police". India Today.
  135. "Farmers' protest - 41 security personnel sustain injuries at Red Fort". The Hindu. 2021-01-26.
  136. "India protest: Farmers breach Delhi's Red Fort in huge tractor rally". BBC News. India. 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  137. "Farmers' Protest: One dead as tractor overturns at ITO area in Delhi". The Economic Times. 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  138. Bhardwaj, Ananya (2021-01-28). "Not shot but crushed by tractor- post mortem on farmer who died in Delhi protests reveals". The Print. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  139. "'Autopsy Doctor Told Me He'd Seen the Bullet Injury But Can Do Nothing as His Hands are Tied'". The Wire. 2021-01-30.
  140. Shekhar, Raj. "Farmers' rally: Tractor parade turns Capital raid". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  141. "Indian journalists face criminal charges over police shooting reports". the Guardian. 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  142. "Red Fort violence: Delhi police detain 200 after farmer protests". BBC News. 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  143. "In pictures: Indian farmers enter Delhi's Red Fort as protests break out across the country". dawn.com. 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  144. "ASI shuts Red Fort till January 31 for visitors after vandalism by tractor rally protesters". 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  145. Sabarwal, Harshit (2021-01-26). "Tractor rally violence: Internet services snapped in parts of Delhi-NCR". Hindustan Times. New Delhi.
  146. "Additional Forces in Delhi After Amit Shah's Security Meet Over Clashes". NDTV.com. 2021-01-26.
  147. "Farmers removed from Red Fort premises by police". The Week. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  148. Haider, Tanseem; Mishra, Himanshu; Singh, Ram Kinkar (2021-02-01). "Nails on road, barricades, cement walls: Delhi Police turns farmers' protest sites into fortresses". India Today. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  149. "Concertina Wire, Barricades And Buses - Situation At The Ghazipur Border". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  150. "Police blocks entry to journalists, others to protest site at Singhu Border". The Hindu. 2021-02-02. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  151. "Delhi Police Stops Journalists from Entering the Site of Farmer's Protest". The Kashmiriyat. 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  152. "Govt turns up heat on farmers to end protest, high drama at Ghazipur as Tikait takes do or die route". India Today. 2021-01-29. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  153. "Farmers' protest: Heavy police deployment at Ghazipur protest site". National Herald. Inter-Asian News Service. 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  154. Jadhav, Radheshyam. "As Maharashtra farmers get more from trade, want MSP out". @businessline. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  155. "Explained: Who are Shetkari Sanghatana, the group backing Govt on farm laws?". The Indian Express. 2020-12-23. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  156. "10 farmers' groups extend support to Govt on farm laws". The Times of India. 2020-12-14. Archived from the original on 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  157. "All India Kisan Coordination Committee members meet Tomar, extend support to farm laws". ANI News. 2020-12-14. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  158. "20,000 Kisan Sena Members To March To Delhi in Support Of Farm Laws Tomorrow". NDTV. 2020-12-23. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  159. "20,000 Kisan Sena Members to March From UP to Support Farm Laws". TheQuint. 2020-12-24. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  160. Kumar, Basant (2021-01-08). "Who are the 'farmer leaders' supporting Modi on farm laws?". Newslaundry. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  161. Udhoke, Dr Sukhpreet Singh (2021-01-06). "Farmers Protest: Sikh Scholar Dr Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke ने Sikh Heritage में Langar की History बताई" [Farmers Protest: Sikh Scholar Dr Sukhpreet Singh Udhoke tells the history of Langar in Sikh Heritage]. The Lallantop (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  162. Pasricha, Anjana (2020-12-14). "Sikh Tradition of Community Kitchens Sustains India's Farmers Protest". Voice of America. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  163. "Langar Tradition Plays Out in Farmers Protest, Students Use Social Media To Organise Essentials, 2020". India Today. 2020-12-02. Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2021-01-06 – via YouTube.
  164. "Farmers' Protest: Who's Feeding Protesters at the Borders?". Deccan Herald. 2020-12-20. Archived from the original on 2020-12-20. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  165. Sinha, Jignasa (2020-12-11). "Protest site draws 'Sewa' – medicine stalls, laundry service, temple & library come up". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  166. Sharma, Mahesh (2020-12-09). "'Pizza langar' for protesting farmers attracts crowd". Tribune India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  167. Singh, IP (2020-12-05). "Almond langar for farmers on protest". Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  168. "Team of Muslim Men Serving Langar All Day to Protesting Farmers at Singhu Border". India Today. 2020-12-05. Archived from the original on 2021-01-08. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  169. Kuchay, Bilal. "A school for the underprivileged at Indian farmers' protest site". AlJazeera. Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  170. "'Elderly must be tired': Khalsa Aid installs 25-foot massagers for protesting farmers". Times Now. 2020-12-11. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  171. Bhatnagar, Amil (2020-12-27). "Month on, as protest grows, farmers install CCTVs to keep eye on crowd". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  172. Jagga, Raakhi (2020-12-21). "Punjab: Tributes Paid to 41 Farmers Who Died during Protests". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  173. Jagga, Raakhi (2020-12-30). "70-Yr-Old Farmer Who Spent 4 Weeks at Tikri Dies of Pneumonia on Return". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2020-12-31. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  174. Sengar, Mukesh Singh (2021-01-02). "75-Year-Old Protesting Farmer Found Dead at Delhi-Ghaziabad Border". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2021-01-03. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  175. "Farmers' protest: Congress slams Modi govt's apathy". Telegraph India. 2021-01-03. Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  176. "Balbir Singh Rajewal ਦੀ ਧਮਾਕੇਦਾਰ ਸਪੀਚ - Kissan Morcha Delhi" [Balbir Singh Rajewal's explosive speech - Kissan Morcha Delhi]. Sikh Sangat Tv, Singhu Border, 2021 (in Punjabi). 2021-01-08. Archived from the original on 2021-01-19. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  177. Sinha, Jignasa (2020-12-17). "Delhi Chalo' March: Farmers Say Will Prepare List of Deaths during Protest". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  178. "At Least Three Deaths Reported During Farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' Protest". The Wire. 2020-11-30. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  179. Ghazali, Mohammad (2020-12-17). Ghosh, Deepshikha (ed.). "Punjab Farmer Protesting Near Delhi Border Dies Amid Cold Wave". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  180. Shukla, Saurabh (2020-12-09). Bhasin, Swati (ed.). "Haryana Farmer, 32, Protesting Near Delhi Border Dies Due To Cold Weather". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  181. "One farmer dies at Singhu protest site, 4 in accident on way back to Punjab". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  182. "Another Punjab farmer dies at Delhi border during protests". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  183. Bharti, Vishav (2020-12-10). "15 farmers die during two-week stir". The Tribune (Chandigarh). Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  184. "Punjab: Tributes paid to 41 farmers who died during protests". The Indian Express. 2020-12-21. Archived from the original on 2020-12-21. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  185. "'Does it not stir PM Modi's heart?' 15 protestors, including two women, have lost their life since November 26". National Herald. 2020-12-10. Archived from the original on 2020-12-10. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  186. "Manoj Yadava Is Haryana DGP". Tribuneindia News Service. 2019-02-18. Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  187. "Dozens Die during India Farmers' Protests; Modi Offers More Talks". Aljazeera. 2020-12-18. Archived from the original on 2020-12-29. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  188. Peeyush, Khandelwal; Singh, Karn Pratap (2021-01-02). "Farmer Dies at Protest Site at Delhi-UP Border, Suicide Suspected: Police". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  189. "Farmers' Protest Live Updates: Deadlock Continues as Seventh Round of Farmers-Centre Talks Remain Inconclusive". Indian Express. 2021-01-04. Archived from the original on 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  190. Bhardwaj, Ananya (2021-01-29). "Protester Killed in Delhi Tractor Rally Was Waiting to Reunite with Wife in Australia". ThePrint. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  191. Ismat, Ara (2021-02-01). "Bullet or Accident: How Did Farm Law Protester Navreet Singh Die?". The Wire. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  192. "India farmer protests: 'War-like fortification' to protect Delhi". BBC. 2021-02-03.
  193. Apoorva, Mandhani (2021-01-31). "Another UP FIR against Journalist — The Wire's Varadarajan under Probe for Farmer Death Tweet". ThePrint. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  194. "Farmers' protest: Journalist Mandeep Punia granted bail, judge notes delay in filing FIR". The Indian Express. 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  195. Chauhan, Satender (2020-12-16). "Farm laws: Sikh priest dies by suicide near protest site, says unable to bear pain of farmers". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  196. "Farm Laws: Haryana Priest Dies by Suicide, Says 'Sacrificing Life to Express Anger against Centre". Scroll.in. 2020-12-16. Archived from the original on 2020-12-29. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  197. Sethi, Chitleen K (2020-12-18). "Before Suicide at Singhu Border, Baba Ram Singh Wrote BJP & RSS 'Trying to Finish Sikh Race". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 2021-01-07. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  198. Ghazali, Mohammad (2020-12-27). "Lawyer Allegedly Dies By Suicide at Farmers' Protest, Note Mentions PM". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  199. "'Depressed at failure of talks': Farmer dies by suicide at protest site at Singhu border". National Herald. 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  200. "Farmers to Observe 'Shradhanjali Diwas' in Tribute to Those Who Lost Their Lives". Mint. 2020-12-20. Archived from the original on 2020-12-20. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  201. "Farmers Stir Enters Day 25; Observe Shradhanjali Diwas To Pay Homage To Farmers Died During Protests". India Today. 2020-12-19. Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  202. Khandelwal, Peeyush; Karn Pratap Singh (2021-01-02). "Farmer Dies at Protest Site at Delhi-UP Border, Suicide Suspected: Police". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  203. "Harsimrat Kaur Badal quits Modi govt to protest farm bills – Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-06. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  204. Vasudeva, Vikas (2020-09-26). "Akalis quit NDA, say Centre ignored farmers' sentiments". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  205. "Govt invites farmers for talks today; PM says they are being misinformed". Business Standard India. PTI. 2020-12-01. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  206. "PM Modi says opposition is misleading farmers and 'playing tricks' on them". Deccan Chronicle. PTI. 2020-12-01. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  207. Sura, Ajay (2020-12-01). "Haryana: Charkhi Dadri MLA Sombir Sangwan withdraws support to Manohar Lal Khattar govt". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  208. "Consider giving written assurance on MSP: JJP to Centre". The Hindu. 2020-12-02. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
  209. Singh, Sandeep (2021-01-06). "'Farmers Are Dying Everyday, Why Would We Be Rigid?' Kisan Unions". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 2021-01-06. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  210. "Farm Law Talks: 8th Round Inconclusive as Centre Says 'Can't and Won't Repeal Laws'". The Wire. 2021-01-08. Archived from the original on 2021-01-08. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  211. Kaw, Sanjay (2021-01-06). "PM asks agriculture officials to make changes in farm laws". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  212. "Farmers' protests: Seventh round of talks between Centre, union members starts". Business Today India. 2021-01-06. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  213. Mohan, Vishwa (2021-11-14). "Farmers' talks with Centre fail to break logjam". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  214. "Khalistan, Pak slogans raised at farm protest: BJP gen secy". NDTV. 2020-11-30. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  215. "Bharat Bandh tomorrow: Will begin from 11am, don't want to trouble common man, say farmers". Hindustan Times. 2020-12-07. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  216. "Farm laws: To combat fake news, 'IT Cell' launched by protesters". The Indian Express. 2020-12-20. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  217. "Khalistan, Pak slogans raised at farm protest: BJP gen secy". The Indian Express. 2020-11-30. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  218. "Khalistan sympathizers use farmers' protest to promote their separatist agenda". BW Businessworld. ANI. 2020-12-03. Archived from the original on 2020-12-07. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  219. "Farmers' protests: Pro-Khalistan outfit threatens to close Indian embassies across the world on December 10". www.timesnownews.com. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  220. "खालिस्तान के सपोर्ट में खड़े सिखों की 7 साल पुरानी तस्वीर किसान आन्दोलन से जोड़कर की गयी शेयर" [7-year-old photograph of Sikhs standing in support of Khalistan linked to the farmer movement]. Alt News (in Hindi). 2020-12-04. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  221. Kundu, Chayan (2020-12-16). "Fact Check: Old images of pro-Khalistan demonstrations linked to farmers' protests". India Today. Archived from the original on 2020-12-25. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  222. Lalwani, Vijayta (2020-12-01). "'Shame on the media': Why protesting farmers are angry with the news coverage". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  223. Arora, Kusum (2020-12-02). "Farmers' Protest: Despite Rightwing Propaganda, 'Khalistani' Angle Finds Little Traction". The Wire. Archived from the original on 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  224. "Don't label protesting farmers as 'Khalistanis', 'anti-nationals': Editors Guild to media houses". Deccan Herald. 2020-12-04. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  225. Goel, Kritika (2020-12-05). "Twitter Tags Amit Malviya's Tweet as Manipulated, But Now What?". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 2020-12-07. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  226. Ajmal, Anam (2020-12-02). "Amit Malviya: Twitter tags BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya's tweet as 'manipulated media'". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-23. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  227. "'Manipulated media': Twitter flags Amit Malviya's tweet on farmer protests". Newslaundry. Archived from the original on 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  228. "India farmers: Misleading content shared about the protests". BBC News. 2020-12-06. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  229. "BJP Uses Protester's Image to Depict 'Happy' Farmer; OpIndia's Failed Attempt to Defend". NewsClick. 2020-12-23. Archived from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  230. Pioneer, The. "Punjab BJP uses protesting farmer's image". The Pioneer. Archived from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  231. Dasgupta, Sravasti (2020-12-23). "Punjab farmer at Singhu sends notice to BJP for using his image in ad promoting farm laws". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  232. Dahiya, Himanshi (2019-12-26). "Muslim Man Wore Turban to Farmers' Protests? Fake News Alert!". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  233. Nair, Arun (2021-01-05). "Fact Check: Fake 'National Geographic' magazine cover featuring farmers' protest goes viral". India Today. Archived from the original on 2021-01-06. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  234. "Images of NH signboards vandalised in 2017 viral with farmers' protest spin". Alt News. 2021-01-10. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  235. https://www.indiantelevision.com/television/tv-channels/news-broadcasting/rajdeep-sardesai-sent-off-air-for-spreading-fake-news-210128
  236. "Video from Germany aired by Zee News as farmers preparing for 'war' with tractors in India". Alt News. 2021-01-21. Archived from the original on 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
  237. "Farmers agitation infiltrated by Leftist, Maoist elements, says Piyush Goyal". The Hindu. PTI. 2020-12-12. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-12-13. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  238. "Anti-national elements leading farmers' protest: Himachal BJP vice-president". Hindustan Times. 2020-12-14. Archived from the original on 2020-12-21. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  239. "Conspiracy of China, Pakistan behind farmers protests: Union minister". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  240. Shreya (2020-12-18). "Foreign forces fuelling farmers protest: BJP MLA". OneIndia. Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  241. "Farmers' agitation hijacked by 'anti-national' forces: BJP leader". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 2020-11-29. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  242. "'Tukde-tukde gang' turning farmers' protest into Shaheen Bagh: BJP's Manoj Tiwari". The Indian Express. 2020-12-03. Archived from the original on 2020-12-07. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  243. ""BJP Is Real Tukde Tukde Gang, Trying To Divide Punjab": Sukhbir Badal". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  244. "Amarinder hits out at BJP for calling farmers names". The Indian Express. 2020-12-28. Archived from the original on 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  245. "Protesting Farmers Spreading Bird Flu By Eating Chicken Biryani: Rajasthan BJP Leader". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  246. Arnimesh, Shanker (2020-12-15). "BJP farmer leaders caution govt against branding protesters Khalistanis, 'tukde tukde gang'". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 2020-12-15. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  247. "Farm law protests: It's not Indian culture to call farmers anti-national, says Uddhav Thackeray". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 2020-12-14. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  248. "Statements by BJP leaders on farmers' protest 'most unfortunate', says Ashok Gehlot". Hindustan Times. 2020-12-14. Archived from the original on 2020-12-23. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  249. "International support grows for Indian farmers' protests". SBS News. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  250. "'We are very worried': Canada PM Trudeau backs farmer protests in India – The Week". www.theweek.in. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  251. Roy, Shubhajit (2020-12-01). "Canada's Justin Trudeau backs farmers' protests; India says remarks 'ill-informed'". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  252. Bhattacharjee, Kallol (2020-12-04). "Farmers' protest | India summons Canadian High Commissioner; issues demarche over Trudeau's remarks". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  253. "Justin Trudeau shrugs off New Delhi's reproach, support farmers' protest again". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  254. Bowden, Olivia (2020-12-05). "Hundreds rally outside Indian consulate in solidarity with protesting farmers". CBC News – Toronto. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  255. Little, Simon (2020-12-05). "Large crowds turn out for 2nd B.C. convoy supporting Indian farmers". Global News. Archived from the original on 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  256. "Farmer Protest Against Indian Diplomat Neena Malhotra". Sachi Kalam. Archived from the original on 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  257. "Indian Envoy to Italy Faces Flak for Falsely Claiming She Was 'Felicitated' During Sikh Temple Visit". Archived from the original on 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  258. Tan, Lincoln (2020-12-06). "Crowd gathers at Auckland's Aotea Square to protest against India's new agriculture laws". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 2020-12-07. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  259. "Modi govt's behavior with Punjabi farmers shameful: Fawad Ch". Dunya News. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  260. Canton, Naomi (2020-12-01). "British MPs, international cricketer and filmmaker criticise treatment of farmers at kisan protest in Delhi, extend support". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  261. Menon, Aditya (2020-11-30). "Farmers Protest: MPs From 3 Countries Show Support, Slam Modi Govt". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  262. "British MPs, international cricketer and filmmaker criticise treatment of farmers at kisan protest in Delhi, extend support". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  263. "Farmers protest: 36 British MPs support agitation against farm laws, want UK to raise issue with India". Zee News. 2020-12-05. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  264. "Farmers' protest in India: UK refuses to take stand on 36 MPs seeking intervention". Hindustan Times. 2020-12-05. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  265. "PM labelled clueless after confusing India farm protests with Pakistan conflict". The Guardian. 2020-12-09. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  266. "In major faux pas, UK PM Boris Johnson says farm stir is India-Pak issue". Hindustan Times. 2020-12-09. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  267. "Indian-Americans hold protest rallies in U.S. cities against farm laws in India". The Hindu. PTI. 2020-12-06. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  268. "Sikh-Americans hold protest rallies in US cities against farm laws in India – Times of India". The Times of India. 2020-12-06. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  269. Sewell, Summer (2021-02-08). "'This has to end peacefully': California's Punjabi farmers rally behind India protests". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2021-02-08.
  270. Mann, Priya (2021-01-24). "'It's an environment of hope' -- Thousands protest in Detroit in support of Indian farmers". ClickonDetroit.
  271. ""We Support Our Farmers": Fort Wayne's Indian community rallies in support of India farmer protests". WANE 15. 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  272. "Several US lawmakers voice support for agitating farmers in India". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  273. "US lawmakers write to Secretary of State, ask him to address farmers' protests in India". The News Minute. 2020-12-25. Archived from the original on 2020-12-25. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  274. "Seven US lawmakers, including Pramila Jayapal, write to Pompeo on farmers' protest in India". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2020-12-25. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  275. Bhattacherjee, Kallol (2020-12-05). "People have a right to demonstrate peacefully: UN spokesperson on farmers' protests". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  276. "IMF backs India's farm reforms: 'Will reduce middlemen, enhance efficiency'". www.financialexpress.com. PTI. 2021-01-15. Archived from the original on 2021-01-15. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  277. "India: Journalists Covering Farmer Protests Charged". Human Rights Watch. 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  278. "Green shoots of the new farm bills will be visible in 3-5 years: Ashok Gulati". Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
  279. "Farm, labour bills are steps in right direction: Gita Gopinath, Chief Economist, IMF". The Economic Times. 2020-10-16. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  280. Sathye, Milind (2020-12-04). "Farmers Protests in India: Politics Over Economics?". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  281. Bensadoun, Emerald (2020-12-09). "Here's why farmers in India are protesting and why Canadians are concerned". Global News. Archived from the original on 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  282. "866 academics, including 7 VCs, back new farm laws". The Times of India. 2021-01-02. Archived from the original on 2021-01-03. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  283. Sharma, Kritika (2021-01-01). "'Govt won't take food from plate' – academicians from DU, JNU, other varsities back farm laws". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 2021-01-08. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  284. "Farm Laws: 3 Experts, 2 Opinions". Times of India. Times of India. 2020-12-18. Archived from the original on 2020-12-20. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  285. Li, Hansong (2021-01-12). "2020︱动荡一年中的三个历史片段" [Three historical fragments from a turbulent year] (in Chinese). The Paper (澎湃). The Paper (澎湃). Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  286. Social worker Baba Sewa Singh returns Padma Shri in protest against centers' farm laws. Archived 4 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine Hindustan Times. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  287. "Farmers' protest: Punjabi singer-actor Harbhajan Mann refuses to accept state govt's award". India Today. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  288. Prakash Singh Badal and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa returned their Padma award. Archived 11 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine The Tribune. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  289. Pandey, Geeta (2020-12-02). "India farmers: The viral image that defines a protest". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2020-12-10. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  290. "Tractor march: Protesters flout undertaking; swords wielded, bus vandalised". Hindustan Times. 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  291. "Youth trend hashtags in support of farmers". The Tribune (Chandigarh). 2020-12-05. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
  292. "Farmers' protest page was flagged as spam, clarifies Facebook a day after blocking account". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 2020-12-21. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  293. "After Rihanna, an outpouring of international celebrity support for farmers protest". Scroll.in. 2021-02-03. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  294. "Farmers' protests blow into global social media war as celebs join in". The Wire. 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  295. "Now, India's Sports Stars Tweet Against International Support to Farmers' Protests". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  296. "Farmers protest in India: MEA slams 'vested interests,' social media turns battle zone". The Times of India. 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  297. "Press Statement on recent comments by foreign individuals and entities on the farmers' protests". Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. 2021-02-03. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  298. "Greta Thunberg tweets, deletes and then updates farm protest 'toolkit'". The Times of India. 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  299. Bhasin, Swati (2021-02-04). "Greta Thunberg Tweets Toolkit On Farmers' Protest, Deletes, Shares Update". NDTV. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  300. Singh, Akhilesh (2021-02-05). "Farmers protest: Canada-based pro-Khalistani outfit blamed for organising Twitter toolkit". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-02-05.
  301. Adhikari, Somak (2021-02-08). "Super Bowl Ad On Farmers' Protest Calls It 'Largest Protest In History', Tells India 'We Stand With You'". IndiaTimes.com. Archived from the original on 2021-02-08.
  302. "'Familiar with plight': SC allows farmers to protest". Hindustan Times (Print). 2020-12-18.
  303. Rajagopal, Krishnadas (2020-12-17). "Farmers have constitutional right to continue with protest: SC". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  304. "Supreme Court says farmers have right to protest, suggests Centre put implementation of farm laws on hold". Firstpost. 2020-12-17. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  305. "SC supports right of farmers to non-violent protests but against blockade of roads: 10 key developments". The Times of India. 2020-12-17. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  306. "Will not interfere in farmers' protest, says SC; NCP demands special Parliament session, Tomar writes letter". Firstpost. 2020-12-17. Archived from the original on 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  307. Arvind Gunasekar (2011-01-11). Bhasin, Swati (ed.). ""Don't Lecture Us On Patience": 5 Big Supreme Court Quotes On Farm Laws". NDTV. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  308. "Breaking: Supreme Court Hints At Stay On Implementation Of Farm Laws And Formation Of Committee, Will Pass Order". www.livelaw.in. 2021-01-11. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  309. Mathur, Aneesha (2021-01-11). "Supreme Court 'disappointed' with govt's handling of farmer protests, says hold farm laws or we will". India Today. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  310. "Supreme Court 'disappointed' with negotiations, asks Centre if farm laws can be put on hold". The Indian Express. 2021-01-11. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  311. "SC suspends implementation of three farm laws". The Hindu. 2021-01-12. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  312. Misra, Udit (2021-01-13). "Most on Supreme Court committee have backed farm laws, called protests misguided". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  313. "Breaking- Bhupinder Singh Mann Recuses From Supreme Court Formed Committee To Negotiate On Farm Laws". www.livelaw.in. 2021-01-14. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  314. "Farm laws: SC irked over criticism of court-appointed committee members". Hindustan Times. 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
  315. "Rising Number of Protesting Farmers Switch From Jio to Rival Mobile Networks". Archived from the original on 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  316. "Farmers halt toll collection on Haryana highways; shut down power supply to Jio towers in Punjab". The New Indian Express. 2020-12-25. Archived from the original on 2020-12-25. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  317. "Farmers 'porting' mobile connections in large numbers". Archived from the original on 2020-12-29. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  318. "Amarinder Singh's Appeal Fails, 150 More Telecom Towers Damaged in Punjab". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  319. "Punjab Police Chief Dinkar Gupta Empanelled to Hold DG Post at Centre". Hindustan Times. 2020-05-30. Archived from the original on 2021-01-19.
  320. "Amarinder Singh Takes Exception to Punjab Governor Summoning Chief Secy, DGP". ThePrint. Press trust of India. 2020-12-30. Archived from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  321. "How Punjabi songwriters and singers prepared ground for farmers' protest march to Delhi". India Today. Archived from the original on 2020-12-11. Retrieved 2020-12-09.; "From Punjab to Delhi – songs that have gone viral during farmers' protest". Times Now News. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  322. "Bohemia, The Game, J.Hind & Karan Aujla: Collab of the Year!". ANI News. Archived from the original on 2020-12-10. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  323. "Nav on Instagram: "This is a situation that's too big to ignore. I stand with our farmers and their right to peacefully protest for justice 🙏🏽✊🏽…"". Instagram. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
  324. Kaur, Pawanjot (2020-12-04). "'You Can't Forget Your Soil': Why Punjabi Artists Are So Embedded in the Farmers' Protest". The Wire. Archived from the original on 2020-12-08. Retrieved 2020-12-09.

Further reading
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.