December 18: Latest Developments from the Farmers Protest
Posted: 18 Dec 2020 07:45 PM PST
1. Uttar Pradesh: Six Farmer Leaders Asked To Submit ₹50 Lakh Bonds For Allegedly Spreading ‘Misinformation’ on Farm Laws. RSS plays hardball to scare farmers from states other than Punjab and Haryana.
2. BKU’s (Asli) state youth president Rishabh Chaudhary from Uttar Pradesh said sending notices of such a huge amount is harassment by the government. “We all are peacefully holding protests against the new farm law. We all have rights to raise an objection against wrongdoing.”
3. Kept Under House Arrest, Gujarat Farmers’ Leaders Disguise Themselves to Join Delhi Protests. Huge embarrassment for Modi.
4. IBN24 journalist Akarshan Uppal who exposed the Adani group’s secretive forays to acquire hundreds of acres of land before the passing of the new farm bills is in critical condition after being severely beaten by unknown men in Karnal, Haryana. As outrage grows over the journalist’s attack, more fingers are pointing towards the Adani group’s involvement in the incident.
5. 10 economists write to Tomar, seek repeal of farm laws. ‘Not in best interests of small and marginal farmers’
6. Modi goes on TV to make promises about MSP but no mention of it written in the laws.
7. Outrage at journalists who exposes Adanis 100 acre storage site is beaten up and in critical condition.
8. Protests About Indian Farming Reforms Have Reached Facebook’s Headquarters in Silicon Valley, California.
9. BBC article – “Facebook, in particular, has been under scrutiny after reports in the Wall Street Journal showed that a top executive had shielded members of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party from Facebook’s rules on hate speech after they posted anti-Muslim videos on the platform.
10. Another report from the Wall Street Journal published earlier this week said that Facebook did not remove the Bajrang Dal, a Hindu nationalist organization that supports violence against religious and ethnic minority groups, for fear of endangering both its staff in the country and its business prospects — despite a recommendation from its safety team to remove it.”
11. The DMK-led opposition in Tamil Nadu on Friday started a day-long hunger strike in support of farmers protesting against the three new farm laws.
12. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Friday asked the central government to focus on resolving its standoff with farmers over three farm laws and keep other issues on hold
13. JagBani report false information on Morcha. Lakha Sidhana and others call for stern replies.
14. The All India Kisan Sabha made an announcement in Nasik and extended support to farmers
15. Protests spread in UP. Khaps have decided to directly participate. They plan to block roads connecting Uttar Pradesh with Uttarakhand and Delhi on December 19 to mount pressure on the government.
16. Farmers launch their own newspaper called Trolley Times, which has news from their perspective.
17. Barricading has been increased at Bahadurgarh and Singhu this morning. Police and protestors argue.
18. 500 women from Malwa region joined protests at Tikri this afternoon
19. BJP leader in Punjab, Harjeet Grewal’s life is becoming tougher, he was not allowed to step out of his car in Punjab today.
20. Huge Bhandal (roofed area) being set up at Singhu border as protestors camp in the long haul.
21. Massive need for doctors and nurses as the cold weather is biting the elderly despite the fantastic efforts of so many Sikh charities.
22. Mahoon Singh tweets – I’m taking all my music off @JioSaavn, in solidarity with our Punjabi siblings, sorry to everyone who follows me on there I’d rather you illegally download it than they make money off
23. Trains have been stopped today by sangat with supplies going to the army says Agriculture Minister Tomar
24. Website – https://asovereignworld.com/
25. Sikh PA – tweets in reference to the boycott and protest of Toy store Hamleys which is owned by Ambani.
26. Financial Times London article called “Modi’s Rockefeller’: Gautam Adani and the concentration of power in India ” shows the nexus of relationships and claims of cronyism.
27. A local Mandir close to the protest site has offered its entire facility to accommodate over 1,000 protestors so they can sleep in at night.
28. A 60-year-old man reaches Tikri at the Delhi-Haryana border from Bihar on a bicycle to participate in a farmers’ protest. “It took me 11 days to reach here from Siwan, my home district. I urge the government to take back the three farm laws,” says Satyadev Manjhi.
29. Video of Sangat doing workouts has been shared giving inspiration to all Protestors. Gym has been expanded.
30. The father of these two young boys committed suicide due to debt. These boys deserved to see their father during their childhood. Farmers deserve better, they feed us, their children should not be wiping tears off their faces. We should support their well being. No farmers no food.