Farmers assemble for weeklong protest at Chandigarh’s entry point, demanding crop MSP

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Chandigarh, Sep 1 (IANS) Hundreds of farmers from Punjab blocked one of the prominent entry points of Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, on Tuesday for their weeklong protest over demands, comprising guaranteed minimum support prices (MSP) for all crops as per the Dr Swaminathan Commission report.

Heavy security has been deployed both by Chandigarh and Punjab to prevent any untoward incident.

The farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) parked their tractor-trailers on one side of the busy road leading to Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport and pitched tents for their sit-in protest that will last till September 7.

The gathering is expected to increase by the evening as hundreds of farmers are being ferried along with ration to the protest site.

The SKM has been allotted a protest site in Sector 48 by the Chandigarh Administration, where a huge stage was erected to address protesters.

People travelling between Mohali and Chandigarh, especially those heading to the airport, could face a harrowing time with the start of the seven-day agitation, despite protesters being allowed to park their vehicles on one side of the two-lane highway.

Mohali Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal said they would try to keep one side of the two-way traffic on the carriageway open.

The SKM comprises 32 farmer organisations, comprising the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rajewal, the Kirti Kisan Union, and the Punjab Kisan Union. However, the BKU Ugrahan, an associate member of the SKM, is not part of this protest.

The SKM has been demanding, among other demands, scrapping all previous agreements concerning Punjab’s river waters by convening a special session of the Assembly, the restoration of the state’s representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), repeal of the Dam Safety Act, and the withdrawal of the Disaster Management Act of 2024.

In Punjab, the BKU (Ugrahan) launched indefinite dharnas on August 30 outside the deputy commissioners’ offices in 17 districts against anti-farmer decisions and policies by the state and Central governments.

The BKU (Ugrahan) has been demanding cancellation of the India-US trade deal, and scrapping of Punjab’s land pooling policy, ownership rights to tenant farmers, and a complete waiver of agricultural loans for farmers and labourers.

–IANS

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PM Modi: Bihar victory paves way to uproot ‘Jungle Raj’ in Bengal

New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS) In a triumphant address that extended Bihar’s electoral tsunami to West Bengal’s turbulent shores, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the Ganga’s sacred flow from Bihar to Bengal as a metaphor for the BJP’s unstoppable momentum.

Speaking at the BJP headquarters amid jubilant crowds, PM Modi vowed to dismantle the “Jungle Raj” plaguing Mamata Banerjee’s regime, framing the NDA’s Bihar sweep as the harbinger of change in the neighbouring state.

“The river Ganga flows to Bengal via Bihar. Just as it has created a path of victory for the BJP in Bihar, it will now lead us to end the Jungle Raj in West Bengal,” the PM proclaimed, his voice resonating with the fervour of a crusader.

The remark, delivered in his post-poll victory speech, elicited thunderous applause, signalling the party’s intent to intensify its Bengal offensive ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.

Bihar’s resounding mandate – with the NDA clinching over 190 seats in the 243-member Assembly – has electrified the BJP’s national narrative.

PM Modi credited the win to a potent “Mahila-Youth” (MY) formula, emphasising women’s empowerment and youth aspirations over “appeasement politics.” “Bihar has rejected lies and division; it has chosen trust and unity. This wave will flow to Bengal too,” he added, ascribing the “garda udaya” (storm raised) victory to schemes like free rations, women’s safety initiatives, and job creation drives that swayed female voters, who turned out in droves at 67 per cent overall.

The Bengal reference is no mere rhetoric. With the TMC facing mounting accusations of lawlessness, syndicate raj, and minority appeasement, the PM’s words strike at the heart of Banerjee’s 13-year dominance. “I assure my brothers and sisters in Bengal: Together, we will uproot Jungle Raj,” he reiterated, evoking memories of Lalu Prasad’s Bihar era to draw parallels.

Analysts see this as a strategic pivot, leveraging Bihar’s caste-engineered coalition – from EBCs to Paswans – to infiltrate Bengal’s fractured vote banks, including Matuas and Rajbanshis.

PM Modi’s speech has lit the fuse for a high-stakes showdown. As the Ganga meanders eastward, so does the saffron surge – a clarion call that Bihar’s sushasan blueprint could soon wash away Kolkata’s alleged anarchy.

In Bihar, Nitish Kumar’s third term looms, but nationally, this victory bolsters PM Modi’s aura, quelling post-2024 Lok Sabha jitters. For Bengal’s 10 crore electorate, the message is clear: Change is flowing their way, one river at a time.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the BJP Headquarters and addressed party workers after the NDA’s landslide victory in the Bihar elections. During his address, PM Modi hailed NDA’s victory in Bihar and the development headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, congratulating the citizens of the state for choosing ‘sushashan ki sarkar‘.

The PM, hitting out at the Opposition, also said that Bihar has now rejected appeasement politics and nepotism through today’s verdict.

Before PM Modi, Union Minister JP Nadda addressed BJP workers and said that Bihar has said “no entry to jungle raj” through the election results today.

After 12 hours of the vote counting, the NDA has a clear majority after winning over 140 seats. The BJP is heading towards a record victory after winning 76 seats and leading on 14 others. The Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) has won 60 seats till now. Chirag Paswan’s LJP-RV has won 14 seats.

The Mahagathbandhan has a paltry lead and is now gasping for a hold on even 40 seats. The RJD is leading on 26 seats, while the Congress has a lead on five seats.

With the Bihar election results clear now, the contest has been completely one-sided. The ruling NDA extended its lead by the minute.

Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, which claimed to be an alternative option for voters, has failed to get a look-in so far. The RJD is struggling to reach even 40.

–IANS

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Calcutta HC seeks report from Bengal govt over attack on BJP MP and MLA

Kolkata, Oct 14 (IANS) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Tuesday, sought a report from the West Bengal government over the attack on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha member, Khagen Murmu, and party’s Chief Whip in the state Assembly, Shankar Ghosh, last week.

The single-judge bench of Shampa Dutt (Paul) directed the state government to submit the report and the state police to submit the case diary in the matter to the court by October 27, when the case will come up for hearing again.

The vehicle of Murmu and Ghosh was attacked at Bamandanga in Jalpaiguri, allegedly by Trinamool Congress activists, while they were on their way to Nagrakata in the same district to help with the relief and rescue efforts for the people in the hills, Terai and Dooars regions in North Bengal, which were affected by devastating rains, floods and landslides earlier this month.

During the attack, Murmu was severely injured, while Ghosh sustained minor injuries.

A petition was filed at the Calcutta High Court in the matter questioning the rule of the police in the matter, especially as regards preventing the incident as well as taking action against the culprits.

The petitioner also sought a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe in the matter.

The matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, and after a detailed hearing in the matter, the court sought the report from the state government and the case diary from the state police in the matter.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the counsel of the petitioner said that the state police had deliberately not imposed sections for attempt to murder against the culprits in the case, although the attack on the BJP Lok Sabha member and the party’s Chief Whip was pre-planned and well-orchestrated.

On Tuesday, despite seeking a report from the state and the case diary from the state police, Justice Dutt (Paul) did not make any observation in the demand from the petitioner for an NIA probe in the matter.

–IANS

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Stalin predicts heavy AIADMK defeat in western TN in 2026 Assembly elections

Chennai, Aug 11 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin on Monday predicted that the AIADMK would face an even heavier defeat in the state’s western districts in the upcoming Assembly elections than in the recent local body polls.

Addressing a public gathering at Udumalpet, where he inaugurated completed projects, launched new ones, and distributed welfare benefits, Stalin said AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami had chosen to begin his campaign in the western region under the assumption that it remained the party’s stronghold.

“The people will deliver their verdict, and it will be worse than before,” he asserted.

Highlighting the DMK government’s achievements in the region, Stalin listed the launch of the Athikadavu-Avinashi drinking water project as a key milestone.

He accused Palaniswami of being “under the delusion” that the public regarded him on par with late Chief Ministers M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa.

“People cannot be fooled by shouting lies. He should know what they say about him once he leaves the campaign stage,” Stalin remarked.

The Chief Minister cited the revival of five road overbridge projects in Tiruppur — stalled for over a decade under the AIADMK government — as an example of his party’s commitment to easing traffic congestion, in contrast to what he described as the AIADMK’s neglect of the region.

Referring to recent “disrespectful” comments made about him by Palaniswami, Stalin said he remained unfazed.

“I follow the principle of talking less and working more,” he said.

Stalin alleged that jealousy over the DMK government’s achievements, and even the BJP’s acknowledgement of Tamil Nadu’s economic growth, had prompted Palaniswami to approach the courts against the ‘Ungaludan Stalin’ welfare scheme being named after the Chief Minister. The Supreme Court’s dismissal of the case, along with its directive that the petitioner pay Rs 10 lakh to the state government, was “a slap in the face” for the AIADMK, he added.

“The DMK government is introducing progressive schemes with utmost care and will continue to aim for greater heights,” he said

–IANS

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