FARMERS UPDATE 10/1/21
Latest developments - with 27 updates. Sunday 10th Jan : Be Informed, Be Active
1. Clashes in Haryana where the BJP Chief Minister Kattar was due to have a rally. Farmers have broken the barricades set up by police to oppose the BJP’s protest. Heavy police deployment in the area. Police escorted BJP workers away from the scene. Thousands of farmers go to the rally. The farmers dug up the landing pad for CM Kattars helicopter. Police attacked the farmers with tear gas, lathis and bricks. Many farmers injured. So farmers then took down the rally stage. Police had to whisk away the BJP ministers.
2. BJP Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar canceled his Maha Panchayat program due the farmers not letting his helicopter land anywhere. Numerous times farmers have dug up the landing pads where he was due to speak in Haryana.
3. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar blamed farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni for today’s incidents in Haryana. “I have seen Chaduni. He is a fighter. The way he walks and talks tells a lot about him. Once I clicked him running like a 20 year old young man.”
4. Mukesh Ambani said for the last 7 days that Reliance has no interest in contract farming. This is due to backlash from farmers. However today Times of India reports that Reliance has just done a large contract farming deal to buy rice from Karnataka farmers. The conditions are strict and the farmers are wary of the deal. They said Reliance will entice us first then after a few years we are completely beholden to them and their terms.
5. BJP leaders continue with their erratic and crazy allegations. Madan Dilawar - BJP leader of Rajistan stated the Farmers are spreading Bird Flu by eating Chicken Biryani. When the facts are the significant majority of food in protest is vegetarian as its langar.
6. Kausik Basu, former chief economist of world bank tweeted, “The attack on Indian farmers, including the charge that they are spreading bird flu, by small right-wing groups is sad. The protesting farmers have been honorable, standing up not just for their own interest but for the larger cause of democratic rights. They deserve to be heard.”
7. BJP workers are quitting the party in Punjab but this isn’t making Godhi media headlines. Paramjit Rai who was ex councillor from BJP in Banga Block has joined congress in Punjab. He said that BJP is not serious about farmers issue & is anti farmer party.
8. Farmers leaders called for a social boycott of Punjab BJP leader Harjeet Grewal & Surjit Jayani for their remarks on farmers
9. The stage and Sangat area at the morchas are now covered with temporary structures. Now the morcha can carry on regardless of the weather. Despite recent week of weather the morale at the morcha is very high.
10. Many farmers see the intervention of Indian Supreme Court tomorrow as a danger as it’s never ruled against Modi Govt and seen very bias.
11. Confrontational situation between farmers and BJP workers in Jalandhar where BJP has taken out procession for better law and order for them. Farmers groups are opposing them citing that BJP makes ill remarks against farmers and then cries foul with reaction. BJP state president Ashwani Sharma in Jalandhar was leading the procession but it backfired.
12. BJP’s Ashwini Sharma was shown black flags by protesting farmers at Cholang toll plaza. Farmers have already freed the toll plazas in Punjab & are sitting in dharnas at toll plazas. Dharnas at various toll & railway lines has entered day 111 in Punjab.
13. Deep Sidhu continues his criticism of the Farmer leadership stating that 90% of the protestors are sikhs from many states, most of the food are langar, most of the facilities are there due to sikh charities, that this morcha is on the back of the sikh nation. Then why no sikh ideologue in the Farmer leadership. Some see his points as valid, as they want success in morcha but not at the cost of sikh nation, others see him rocking the ship at a time when it’s not required.
14. Navdeep Singh who turned off water cannon at the beginning of the move to Delhi, then was charged by the same police with attempted murder. He addressed farmers morcha.
15. Another Haryanvi came on stage, thanked Punjabis and Sikhs for leading the protest and expressed desire to live in Punjab’s mitti. He said that he feels lucky as he shares this country with Sikhs.
16. Activist Himanshu Kumar is addressing farmers at Singhu border. He and his wife spent 18 years working with Adivasis. After 18 years, he was forced to leave Chattisgarh by Govt. He said that he had warned people 15 years ago about corporate take over of lands. He claims that he visited most of Punjab’s towns on Cycle. Himanshu Kumar accused Paramilitary of helping corporations in taking over land of Adivasis.
17. Naujawan Bharat Sabha will start recruitment drive for volunteers from 13 to 20 January. They will recruit more than 4000 volunteers and send them for Kisan parade on 24th of January. Volunteers will help in organizing parade and maintaining peace.
18. More Trollies are being assembled in the villages of Majha to convert them into temporary homes and join ongoing dharna at Delhi border.
19. Alliance of Sikh Organizations (group of 35 Sikh organizations) held a special press conference today at Punjab Press Club Jalandhar in which alliance speaker S. Sukhdev Singh Phagwara informed that the Modi government has given three black laws related to farmers which will destroy the farmers.
20. Rallies today in San Francisco, New York and Toronto.
21. National Sikh Police Association in UK helped contribute towards tents at the morcha.
22. Mahinder Kaur Files FIR Against Kangana Ranaut For Misidentifying Her As 'Shaheen Bagh Dadi'.
23. A network of youth organizers from around the world are signing on to organize a Global Day of Action — a protest & campaign triggered by the farmers protests in India to take place on India's Republic Day, January 26, 2021. Poetic Justice Foundation is developing campaign & media kits that are simple, shareable & have a powerful messaging to arm our global sangat of organizers.
24. BBC article - Indian farmers protests: The UK children supporting their heritage.
25. Many marriages in Punjab have scenes of the Bharat carrying flags supporting the morcha.
26. The Sikhs that run school at the morcha for the street children are now into 40 days. They love their teachers.
27. Lastly, immense Gurbani being read in the morcha. Amrit Vela & Nitmen are on loudspeakers. Most farmers getting up at 3am for ishnaan and nitnem then start making langar. Then keertan during the day. Many farmers started keeping kesh and rediscovering their sikhi.
