The Evening Wrap: Farmers face tear gas shells, Centre says MSP law cannot be brought in a hurry

Farmers from Punjab on February 13 morning commenced their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to press for their demands, amid heavy barricading at Haryana-Punjab border and entry points into the National Capital. The Haryana Police hurled tear gas shells when a group of youth, who were part of the farmers’ ‘Chalo Delhi’ protest march, tried to break barricades set up at the Shambhu border in Ambala, officials said. A few farmers were detained as well near the Shambhu border, official sources said. Riot control vehicles, including water cannons, have also been deployed at many places at Punjab and Haryana borders. Security in Delhi has been intensified with multi-layer barricades, concrete blocks, iron nails and walls of containers at border points. Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda said a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops cannot be brought in a hurry without consulting all stakeholders and urged the protesting farmer groups to have a structured discussion with the government on the issue. In an interview with PTI, Munda also cautioned the protesting farmers to be “aware and alert” about some elements which could defame their protest for political benefits. “In the two rounds of discussions, we accepted many of their demands. But there was no agreement on certain issues. The talks are still on,” Munda said. Meanwhile, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding Minimum Support Price for crops, slamming action on the farmers’ ‘Dilli Chalo’ march, and accusing the government of trying to “project” division among farmer bodies. It urged all like-minded farmer organisations to unite and take part in the February 16 Gramin Bharat Bandh called by the central trade unions. Said the SKM, “Your government and that of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh led by the BJP have resorted to repressive measures on peaceful protests of farmers and unleashed lathi-charge, rubber bullets and tear gas shells, injuring many and inflict an atmosphere of terror on common farmers.” The SKM mentioned their demands including MSP for all crops based on the Swaminathan formula of C2+50 (input cost of capital+50 per cent), legal guarantee of procurement, debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff and no smart metres. They also demanded free 300 units power for farming and for domestic use and for shops, comprehensive crop insurance, and a hike in pensions to ₹10,000 per month among others. In a related development, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said if his party returns to power, its government would provide legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops in the interest of farmers. Speaking during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Ambikapur, the headquarter of Surguja district of Chhattisgarh, Kharge also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the people should not believe Modi’s “guarantees”. “I would like to announce from Chhattisgarh that legal guarantee to MSP with extensive procurement of crops for farmers as our guarantee (for upcoming Lok Sabha polls). If we come to power, then this guarantee will definitely be implemented. It is our first guarantee...,” he said. “The farmers who have been fighting for their rights (on the Delhi border), iron spikes were laid on the road and cement walls were placed to stop them. What kind of democracy is this? Can’t anyone fight for their rights?” he asked. Sharad Pawar files appeal in Supreme Court against Election Commission order in favour of nephew Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar has appealed the Supreme Court against the Election Commission (EC) decision in February to recognise the faction led by his nephew Ajit Pawar as the ‘real’ party. The EC had allotted NCP symbol ‘wall clock’ to the Ajit Pawar group, seemingly at the time to end months of factional fight within the party. Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar has already filed a caveat through advocate Abhikalp Pratap Singh in the Supreme Court, urging to be heard before any order is passed in the special leave petition filed by the elder Pawar. The Commission said that it had come to a conclusion in favour of Ajit Pawar, who had joined the ruling Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis coalition government in the State, after testing the aims and objectives of the party’s constitution, the test of the party’s constitution, and the test of majority, both legislative and organisational. “The faction led by petitioner Ajit Anantrao Pawar is the Nationalist Congress Party and is entitled to use its name and reserved symbol ‘Clock’ for the purposes of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment), Order 1968,” the Commission had noted. The appeal has been filed by Sharad Pawar just days ahead of the expiry of the deadline given by the Supreme Court to Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar to decide the disqualification petitions against the breakaway faction headed by Ajit Pawar. The Supreme Court had extended the deadline from January 31, 2024 to February 15, 2024. Only some people benefiting from ‘system’, others paying GST and dying of hunger: Rahul Gandhi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on February 13 slammed the BJP-led Centre, claiming that only some people were benefiting from the “system” in the country while all the others were paying taxes and dying of hunger. If the people raise voice against anything, they have to face action by the Enforcement Directorate, CBI and the I-T Department, Gandhi said addressing a gathering at Ramgarh Chowk in Udaipur area of Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. He claimed that violence was happening and hatred was being spread because injustice was being meted out to the people in the country round-the clock. “Perhaps, it has been happening so much that people are not even able to realise it. It has become like a habit,” Gandhi said. “You [people] must ask a question to yourself thrice a day that how much money you are getting from the country’s fund each day. How much return you are getting after your day-long struggle and efforts. In 10 days, you will come to know that you are being ditched by a system and the PM is at its helm,” he alleged. “In that system, there is no person from the 73% population, comprising the backward classes, Dalits and tribals and the poor from the general category. In that system, 100-200...1000-2000 are being benefited and rest of the people are just watching, dying of hunger and paying GST,” Gandhi claimed. He said therefore the word ‘Nyay’ (justice) was added to the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress leader asked a man from the gathering to board his vehicle and explained how people are allegedly bearing the brunt of the “system”. “Suppose this person goes to a market and 2-3 people decide to steal his wallet, what will be the first task?” he said. “The first person (thief) will divert his attention. In this way you are being misled. Then the other person comes and steals the wallet. GST and demonetisation are the same (act). At last, if you make noise, the third person (thief) slaps you twice. If you are a small shopkeeper and express disagreement, then the CBI, I-T and ED will come,” Gandhi claimed. Maharashtra ex-CM Ashok Chavan joins BJP, says ‘Today is beginning of my new political career’ Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on February 13 formally joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, a day after quitting Congress. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and party state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule were present when Chavan joined the saffron party in Mumbai. “I am joining the BJP today at its office in Mumbai. Today is the beginning of my new political career,” Chavan, who quit the Congress on February 12, told reporters before going to the BJP state headquarters. Asked if he received any calls from senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Chavan evaded a reply. The former CM, however, maintained that he has not contacted any Congress worker or his supporters to join him during his induction into the BJP. Ashok Chavan (65), son of former CM S.B. Chavan, on February 12 underscored that his choice to depart from Congress was independent and refrained from attributing specific reasons for his exit. His exit from the Congress came days after senior Maharashtra Congress leaders Baba Siddique and Milind Deora quit the party. Chavan hails from Nanded district in the Marathwada region. He was also the State Congress chief during 2014-19. He represented the Bhokar Assembly seat and is also the former MP from the Nanded Lok Sabha constituency. PPP to support PML-N to form govt in Pakistan, won’t join cabinet: Reports The Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) will support Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to form a Government, but will not join the Cabinet, Geo News said on February 13, citing sources. PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that he will not put his name for the prime ministerial post. He noted that his party does not have the numbers to form a government at the federal level. He also ruled out the possibility of an independent-led government and termed it “unrealistic”. He said that if this House failed to form a government, the country would have to go for re-elections and that could lead to a “political crisis.” He noted that he wanted to see his father and former President Asif Ali Zardari elected as the President once again. The top leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party were in talks to form the government in Pakistan, even though independent candidates backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party won the most seats in Parliament. None of the three major parties, the PML-N, the PPP, or the PTI have won the necessary seats in the February 8 general elections to secure a majority in the National Assembly and, therefore, will be unable to form government on their own, leaving it unclear who will be picked as the cash-strapped country’s next prime minister. To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly. PPP and PML-N joined hands in 2022, to elect PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shehbaz Sharif as the prime minister after the then-premier Imran Khan was ousted through a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly. In brief Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya on February 13 resigned as the party’s national general secretary, saying he will continue to work to strengthen the SP without any post. In his resignation letter addressed to Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Maurya said “he will continue to work to strengthen the party without any post”. Maurya shared his resignation letter on social media. A member of the state legislative council from the SP, Maurya had joined the Samajwadi Party from the BJP before the 2022 polls and unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls from Fazilnagar. He made controversial statements on the Ramcharitmanas and the Ayodhya temple consecration ceremony. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 13 February 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Farmers face tear gas shells; Agriculture Minister says MSP law cannot be brought in a hurry [Farmers from Punjab on February 13 morning commenced their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march]( to press for their demands, amid heavy barricading at Haryana-Punjab border and entry points into the National Capital. The Haryana Police hurled tear gas shells when a group of youth, who were part of the farmers’ ‘Chalo Delhi’ protest march, tried to break barricades set up at the Shambhu border in Ambala, officials said. A few farmers were detained as well near the Shambhu border, official sources said. Riot control vehicles, including water cannons, have also been deployed at many places at Punjab and Haryana borders. Security in Delhi has been intensified with multi-layer barricades, concrete blocks, iron nails and walls of containers at border points. Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda said a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops cannot be brought in a hurry without consulting all stakeholders and urged the protesting farmer groups to have a structured discussion with the government on the issue. In an interview with PTI, Munda also cautioned the protesting farmers to be “aware and alert” about some elements which could defame their protest for political benefits. “In the two rounds of discussions, we accepted many of their demands. But there was no agreement on certain issues. The talks are still on,” Munda said. Meanwhile, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding Minimum Support Price for crops, slamming action on the farmers’ ‘Dilli Chalo’ march, and accusing the government of trying to “project” division among farmer bodies. It urged all like-minded farmer organisations to unite and take part in the February 16 Gramin Bharat Bandh called by the central trade unions. Said the SKM, “Your government and that of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh led by the BJP have resorted to repressive measures on peaceful protests of farmers and unleashed lathi-charge, rubber bullets and tear gas shells, injuring many and inflict an atmosphere of terror on common farmers.” The SKM mentioned their demands including MSP for all crops based on the Swaminathan formula of C2+50 (input cost of capital+50 per cent), legal guarantee of procurement, debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff and no smart metres. They also demanded free 300 units power for farming and for domestic use and for shops, comprehensive crop insurance, and a hike in pensions to ₹10,000 per month among others. In a related development, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said if his party returns to power, its government would provide legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops in the interest of farmers. Speaking during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Ambikapur, the headquarter of Surguja district of Chhattisgarh, Kharge also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the people should not believe Modi’s “guarantees”. “I would like to announce from Chhattisgarh that legal guarantee to MSP with extensive procurement of crops for farmers as our guarantee (for upcoming Lok Sabha polls). If we come to power, then this guarantee will definitely be implemented. It is our first guarantee...,” he said. “The farmers who have been fighting for their rights (on the Delhi border), iron spikes were laid on the road and cement walls were placed to stop them. What kind of democracy is this? Can’t anyone fight for their rights?” he asked. Sharad Pawar files appeal in Supreme Court against Election Commission order in favour of nephew Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder [Sharad Pawar has appealed the Supreme Court against the Election Commission (EC) decision]( in February to recognise the faction led by his nephew Ajit Pawar as the ‘real’ party. The EC had allotted NCP symbol ‘wall clock’ to the Ajit Pawar group, seemingly at the time to end months of factional fight within the party. Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar has already filed a caveat through advocate Abhikalp Pratap Singh in the Supreme Court, urging to be heard before any order is passed in the special leave petition filed by the elder Pawar. The Commission said that it had come to a conclusion in favour of Ajit Pawar, who had joined the ruling Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis coalition government in the State, after testing the aims and objectives of the party’s constitution, the test of the party’s constitution, and the test of majority, both legislative and organisational. “The faction led by petitioner Ajit Anantrao Pawar is the Nationalist Congress Party and is entitled to use its name and reserved symbol ‘Clock’ for the purposes of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment), Order 1968,” the Commission had noted. The appeal has been filed by Sharad Pawar just days ahead of the expiry of the deadline given by the Supreme Court to Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar to decide the disqualification petitions against the breakaway faction headed by Ajit Pawar. The Supreme Court had extended the deadline from January 31, 2024 to February 15, 2024. Only some people benefiting from ‘system’, others paying GST and dying of hunger: Rahul Gandhi Congress leader [Rahul Gandhi on February 13 slammed the BJP-led Centre, claiming that only some people were benefiting from the “system”]( in the country while all the others were paying taxes and dying of hunger. If the people raise voice against anything, they have to face action by the Enforcement Directorate, CBI and the I-T Department, Gandhi said addressing a gathering at Ramgarh Chowk in Udaipur area of Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. He claimed that violence was happening and hatred was being spread because injustice was being meted out to the people in the country round-the clock. “Perhaps, it has been happening so much that people are not even able to realise it. It has become like a habit,” Gandhi said. “You [people] must ask a question to yourself thrice a day that how much money you are getting from the country’s fund each day. How much return you are getting after your day-long struggle and efforts. In 10 days, you will come to know that you are being ditched by a system and the PM is at its helm,” he alleged. “In that system, there is no person from the 73% population, comprising the backward classes, Dalits and tribals and the poor from the general category. In that system, 100-200...1000-2000 are being benefited and rest of the people are just watching, dying of hunger and paying GST,” Gandhi claimed. He said therefore the word ‘Nyay’ (justice) was added to the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress leader asked a man from the gathering to board his vehicle and explained how people are allegedly bearing the brunt of the “system”. “Suppose this person goes to a market and 2-3 people decide to steal his wallet, what will be the first task?” he said. “The first person (thief) will divert his attention. In this way you are being misled. Then the other person comes and steals the wallet. GST and demonetisation are the same (act). At last, if you make noise, the third person (thief) slaps you twice. If you are a small shopkeeper and express disagreement, then the CBI, I-T and ED will come,” Gandhi claimed. Maharashtra ex-CM Ashok Chavan joins BJP, says ‘Today is beginning of my new political career’ Former [Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on February 13 formally joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party]( a day after quitting Congress. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and party state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule were present when Chavan joined the saffron party in Mumbai. “I am joining the BJP today at its office in Mumbai. Today is the beginning of my new political career,” Chavan, who quit the Congress on February 12, told reporters before going to the BJP state headquarters. Asked if he received any calls from senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Chavan evaded a reply. The former CM, however, maintained that he has not contacted any Congress worker or his supporters to join him during his induction into the BJP. Ashok Chavan (65), son of former CM S.B. Chavan, on February 12 underscored that his choice to depart from Congress was independent and refrained from attributing specific reasons for his exit. His exit from the Congress came days after senior Maharashtra Congress leaders Baba Siddique and Milind Deora quit the party. Chavan hails from Nanded district in the Marathwada region. He was also the State Congress chief during 2014-19. He represented the Bhokar Assembly seat and is also the former MP from the Nanded Lok Sabha constituency. PPP to support PML-N to form govt in Pakistan, won’t join cabinet: Reports The [Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) will support Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to form a Government]( but will not join the Cabinet, Geo News said on February 13, citing sources. PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that he will not put his name for the prime ministerial post. He noted that his party does not have the numbers to form a government at the federal level. He also ruled out the possibility of an independent-led government and termed it “unrealistic”. He said that if this House failed to form a government, the country would have to go for re-elections and that could lead to a “political crisis.” He noted that he wanted to see his father and former President Asif Ali Zardari elected as the President once again. The top leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party were in talks to form the government in Pakistan, even though independent candidates backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party won the most seats in Parliament. None of the three major parties, the PML-N, the PPP, or the PTI have won the necessary seats in the February 8 general elections to secure a majority in the National Assembly and, therefore, will be unable to form government on their own, leaving it unclear who will be picked as the cash-strapped country’s next prime minister. To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly. PPP and PML-N joined hands in 2022, to elect PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shehbaz Sharif as the prime minister after the then-premier Imran Khan was ousted through a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly. In brief Senior [Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya on February 13 resigned]( as the party’s national general secretary, saying he will continue to work to strengthen the SP without any post. In his resignation letter addressed to Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Maurya said “he will continue to work to strengthen the party without any post”. Maurya shared his resignation letter on social media. A member of the state legislative council from the SP, Maurya had joined the Samajwadi Party from the BJP before the 2022 polls and unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls from Fazilnagar. He made controversial statements on the Ramcharitmanas and the Ayodhya temple consecration ceremony. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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