Farmers' Agitation: A timeline of how things unfolded
Darpan News Desk IANS, 09 Dec, 2021 11:45 AM
New Delhi, Dec 9 (IANS) Almost 15 months after the farmers' agitation began against the (now scrapped) farm laws and other issues, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions that led the protest, said on Thursday that it has suspended the agaitation after receiving positive assurances from the government on their demands, adding that the borders of Delhi will be cleared by Saturday. The SKM also said that it would hold a review meeting on January 15.
The agitation continued even after the three farm laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020; and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 -- were repealed by the Parliament, as the farmers' stuck to their demands with legal backing for minimum support price (MSP) for all farmers being the prime demand.
Following is a timeline since these were introduced as Ordinances, led to the farmers' agitation till Thursday's announcement by SKM to suspend the agitation:
June 5, 2020: Centre brings in three Ordinances claiming these will bring in reforms that are long pending; farmers will be able to sell their produce at better prices.
July-August, 2020: Protests erupt in parts of Punjab against the three farm Bills
September 14, 2020: Government introduces the three Bills in Lok Sabha
September 17, 2020: Lok Sabha passes all three farm Bills without debate
September 20, 2020: Rajya Sabha passes the Bills by voice vote
September 24, 2020: Punjab farmers declare rail-roko agitation
September 27, 2020: President gives assent to the three farm laws
November 2020: Samyukta Kisan Morcha formed as a consortium of more than two dozen farmers' organisations, mostly from Punjab, but others join in too
November 26, 2020: Farmers' march towards Delhi begins, police put hurdles in many ways, including by digging up highways and spreading nails on roads
November 27, 2020: Farmers in large numbers reach Singhu border, Tikri border, Ghazipur border, bring in tractors and trolleys, set pandals, langars etc.
November 28, 2020: Government offers to talk with a condition that farmers shift to Burari; farmers demand Ram Lila Maidan as protest venue.
December 3-9, 2020: Government starts talks with farmers, farmers' leaders reject government's proposal of amendment to the three laws
December 11, 2020: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) approaches Supreme Court against the three farm laws
January 7-12, 2021: Supreme Court accepts to hear the case; stays implementation of the three laws and appoints a committee to make recommendations
January 20-25, 2021: Farmers reject government's offers to stay the farm laws for 18 months and insist on repeal
January 26, 2021: Farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day; major clash with police; a set of protesters damage Red Fort, hoist Khalsa flag along with the tricolour
January 27, 2021: A day after Red Fort drama, Delhi Police forcibly put up barricades at all the borders where farmers' groups are protesting
February 14, 2021: Bengaluru-based young activist Disha Ravi arrested for editing and spreading 'toolkit' in support of farmers' agitation
March 5, 2021: Resolution passed by Punjab Vidhan Sabha demanding withdrawal of the three laws
March 19, 2021: Supreme Court appointed committee submits its report
May 27, 2021: Farmers observe 'black day' to mark six months of agitation
June 5, 2021: 'Sampoorn Krantikari Diwas' (Total Revolution Day) by farmers mark one year of Ordinances that paved the way for three farm laws
July 22, 2021: 'Kisan Sansad' starts at Jantar Mantar parallelly with the Monsoon Session of Parliament
August 7, 2021: 14 opposition parties' leaders decide to visit 'Kisan Sansad'
September 5, 2021: 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' held at Muzaffarnagar; farmers declare to oust UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi
September 27, 2021: 'Bharat Bandh' call by farmers' consortium gets mixed response; farmers do not enter Delhi, most action in north-west Indian states
September 7, 2021: 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' held at Karnal, action shifts to Haryana
October 4, 2021: Four farmers among those killed when a car runs over protesting farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri in UP
November 17, 2021: Supreme Court appoints retired high court judge to probe Lakhimpur Kheri case
November 19, 2021: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces that three farm laws would be repealed
November 21, 2021: Samyukt Kisan Morcha writes to Prime Minister; puts forth six demands, including legal backing for MSP
November 22, 2021: Family members of martyrs of Lakhimpur Kheri massacre felicitated by SKM at the Lucknow Kisan Mahapanchayat
November 23, 2021: Anil Ghanwat, member, Supreme Court appointed committee on farm laws, writes to apex court to release committee's report
November 24, 2021: Union Cabinet clears 'The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021'
November 26, 2021: Farmers' gatherings across India marks Samyukt Kisan Morcha's one year of agitation
November 28, 2021: SKM suspends planned 'Tractor March to Sansad'; thousands of farmers participate in Shetkari Kamgar Mahapanchayat in Mumbai's Azad Maidan
November 29, 2021: First the Lok Sabha, then the Rajya Sabha pass the 'Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021' by voice vote, SKM issues cautious reaction
November 29, 2021: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar hails Prime Minister, saying, "No difference between what he says and does"
November 30, 2021: Government seeks five names from agitating farmers for inclusion in the proposed committee on MSP
November 30, 2021: Government tells Lok Sabha, no data pertaining to either cases against or the number of farmers who died during the agitation and hence no question of providing financial assistance to anyone
December 4, 2021: With no concrete promise from the government, SKM declares to continue agitation; declares names of five members to negotiate with government
December 7, 2021: Government sends out first draft of its letter to SKM, the latter seeks further clarification
December 9, 2021: SKM declares to suspend agitation after receiving positive assurances from the government on their demands; to review situation on January 15, 2022
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The Punjab Chief Minister reminded Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala that the farmers who were protesting against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meeting in Karnal when the police baton charged them belonged to Haryana and not Punjab.
A video had gone viral of the SDM shouting out instructions to policemen to use force to stop the protesting farmers. Khattar had told a press conference that the officer's "choice of words was not correct" but said, "if any action has to be taken (against the officer), it would first have to be assessed by the district administration."
