Govt should remove obstacles, open doors for dialogue: Unions protesting against farm laws
New Delhi: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of the farmer unions protesting against the Centre's new agriculture laws at Delhi's borders, on Tuesday said the government should remove "obstacles" and open the doors for dialogue, over a month and a half since the talks between the two sides hit a roadblock.
The government and the farmers have held 11 rounds of talks, the last one being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the protests at different border points of the national capital that began in November last year.
"The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has always been in favour of dialogue. The government should remove various obstacles and open the way for dialogue," a statement issued by the SKM said.
The farmers have already rejected the old proposal of the government, it said.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had last month said the government was ready to resume the talks with the protesting farmers, but first they should respond to its offer to put the three contentious farm laws on hold for a year and a half and set up a joint committee to find solutions.
The talks between the two sides have not resumed following the widespread violence during a tractor rally by the protesting farmers on January 26.
The protesters have been demanding a repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee to the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
It has been more than three months since the protests began at Delhi's borders and the government is not even showing basic humanity towards the protesters, the SKM alleged.
It also condemned and "opposed" the Haryana Recovery of Damages to Property During Disturbance to Public Order Bill, 2021, claiming that it will suppress the voice of people.
"This effort is being made to suppress the current farmers' movement and engage the farmers in false cases," the SKM said.
In order to strengthen the movement nationwide, a joint session of trade unions, transport unions and rights organisations will be held on Wednesday, it added.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
