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From Haryana, Delhi to Maharashtra and Karnataka — here’s how Bharat Bandh is affecting the common life in India

<ul><li>Normal life in Karnataka might be disturbed in the face of a dawn to dusk bandh called for by Pro-Kannada Organizations on February 13, 2020. </li><li>Some political experts say the February 13 bandh might turn as a low impact mission. </li><li>Read on to know what the one-day strike in the Kannada Speaking state could impact. </li></ul>The Pro-Kannada Organizations in the state of Karnataka have called for a day’s bandh in the state in demand of boosting up the reservation of jobs in Karnataka for the Kannadigas. Championed by Karnataka Sanghatanegala Okkoota, the February 13 bandh calls for implementing the Sarojini Mahishi report that advocates job reservations in Karnataka for Kannadigas both in the private and public sectors. Support to the bandh The organizations that have supported the bandh in Karnataka on February 13 are The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), Lorry Owners Association, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). Cabs and taxis will not ply in the state For the bandh that will extend from 6 am to 6 pm on February 13, the app-based cab operating companies like Uber and Ola have extended their support and hence they will not ply on the day. Some drivers association in the state like Jai Bharatha Vehicle Owners and Drivers Association and Adarsha Auto and Taxi Union are also supporting the Bandh. What will be closed in the state Due to the bandh on Thursday, educational institutions including schools and colleges in Karnataka will remain closed. Only emergency services like medical shops, ambulance service, hospitals, medical shops and milk booths will remain open. Since the hotel owners have not extended their support to the bandh, it is expected that most of the eateries in the state of Karnataka will be opened on the day. Namma Metro is expected to function as usual without any break. About Sarojini Mahishi report Sarojini Mahishi was a prominent leader in Janata Party. An MP for four times, she was appointed by the Ramakrishna Hegde Government to chair the panel in 1983 for making recommendations regarding the reservation of jobs in the state. In June 1984, the committee submitted an interim report and later tabled a final report in 1986 that made 56 recommendations. Out of them, 45 recommendations were accepted by the Karnataka Government. Why the bandh in Karnataka Some of the suggestions made in the Sarojini Mahishi report recommend that a certain percentage of jobs must be given to the Kannadigas in private and public sector and multinational firms operating in the state of Karnataka. Some recommendations made by the report urge that all the jobs in Group C and Group D categories in the central government departments and PSUs functioning in Karnataka must be given to Kannadigas while the report also advocates making 80 percent reservations for Kannadigas in Group B and Group A jobs of the abovementioned segments. Several suggestions made by the report are yet to be implemented and the February 13 bandh urges for the same.

One Day Bandh In Karnataka on February 13: What will Remain Closed In The State

Bengaluru, The 'Bharat Bandh' call given by nearly a dozen farmer Associations on Tuesday in protest against the three farm laws enacted by the Centre recently failed to evoke much response across <keyword id="6354780" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnataka">Karnataka</keyword>. Except minor incidents like farmer's leaders asking shopkeepers to shutdown their establishments were reported from districts like Mandya, Hassan, Mysuru and other rural parts where <keyword id="1992536" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="farmers-associations">farmers associations</keyword> enjoy a certain degree of clout. Like Bengaluru almost all major cities -- Managluru, Hubli-Dharwad, Belagavi -- did not evoke much of a response here too. All government offices, banks and shops were functioning normally with the Karnataka farmers Associations deciding to observe a 12-hour Bharat Bandh (India Shutdown), across the state other than the tech hub. Farmers Associations in Karnataka had made it clear on Monday itself that their Bandh would be observed across the state except Bengaluru, hence it did not affect Bengaluru's life. Several workers' unions, including the Karnataka State Road <keyword id="89428" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Transport-Corporation">Transport Corporation</keyword> (KSRTC) employees are also extending moral support to the bandh call. "The day-long bandh will be observed across the state except in Bengaluru, where the shutdown will be held on Wednesday, as our farmers are in towns and villages to stage demonstrations and participate in protest rallies," Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha president Kodihalli Chandreshakar had told IANS. The farmer organisations have, however, exempted essential supplies and services, including hospitals from the dawn-to-dusk bandh. Meanwhile, the Congress party state unit that has extended its full support to the farmers bandh call, held a symbolic sit-in protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Vidhana Soudha ahead of attending the legislature session. Elaborate security arrangements were made by the <keyword id="127510" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnataka-Police">Karnataka Police</keyword> to maintain law and order and prevent untoward incidents like damage to the public property and use of force in shutting shops or business establishments. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-ril-maruti-suzuki-nmdc-sbi-ongc-eicher-motors-likhitha-infrastructure-tata-consumer-and-others/articleshow/79600409.cms">Top stocks to watch — RIL, Maruti Suzuki, NMDC, SBI, ONGC, Eicher Motors, Likhitha Infrastructure, Tata Consumer, and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/petrol-is-less-than-a-rupee-away-from-being-more-expensive-than-it-has-ever-been-for-indian-consumers/articleshow/79601841.cms">Petrol is less than a rupee away from being more expensive than it has ever been for Indian consumers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stock-movers-ongc-hdfc-bank-nmdc-pfizer-spicejet-indigo-irctc-tata-chemicals-and-others/articleshow/79602525.cms">Top stock movers — ONGC, HDFC Bank, NMDC, Pfizer, SpiceJet, IndiGo, IRCTC, Tata Chemicals, and others</a>

Bharat Bandh evokes lukewarm response in Karnataka

Gurugram, <keyword id="3035735" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-Congress-Party">The Congress party</keyword>, AAP, <keyword id="70225" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Citu">CITU</keyword>, all-India Kisaan Sabha and Anganwari workers joined hands with 360 villages of the Jharsa Khap to stage a protest at Jharsa Chowk and Bilaspur Chowk on National Highway 48 here during the <keyword id="6379373" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="bharat-bandh">Bharat Bandh</keyword> on Tuesday, demanding a roll back of the farm laws. However, hundreds of people including Rajya Sabha MP KK Rajesh, CITU, all-India Kisaan Sabha and Anganwari workers staging a protest in support of <keyword id="45092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="farmers">farmers</keyword> at Bilaspur Chowk later on Tuesday have been taken into preventive custody by the police. Last week, a mahapanchayat of 360 villages was held in Jharsa village where representatives of all the Khaps participated and assured their support to the farmers' protest. The protestors said that if the <keyword id="6357307" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Central-Government">central government</keyword> does not accept the demands of the farmers, then the entire stretch between Delhi-Gurugram will be sealed. "We have decided to support the farmers' movement in solidarity and warned the state government and said that the central government is doing injustice to the farmers. If necessary, they will march across the city and will close the markets on their own," Chaudhary Mahender Singh Thakran, president of the 360 village khap, said. Leaders of political parties said that the government must act fast on the farm laws otherwise all supplies to the national capital will be stopped. "The central government should have also talked with the farmers before implementing the farm laws. The decision was taken at their own level. The farmers had also issued notice to the government about their protest and had raised questions related to the laws but in vain. The government has forcefully imposed its own law on the farmers" said a Congress leader. The protestors issued a warning to the government, saying that if the talks on December 9 with the government do not yield meaningful results, they will intensify their protests across the district. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/checkout-effects-of-bharat-bandh-in-mumbai-maharashtra/articleshow/79621149.cms">Bharat Bandh: Public transport services in Mumbai, other parts of Maharashtra almost unaffected</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/checkout-effects-of-bharat-bandh-in-haryana-delhi-gujarat-maharashtra-karnataka-rajasthan-and-chhattisgarh/slidelist/79619898.cms">From Haryana, Delhi to Maharashtra and Karnataka — here’s how Bharat Bandh is affecting the common life in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-ril-maruti-suzuki-nmdc-sbi-ongc-eicher-motors-likhitha-infrastructure-tata-consumer-and-others/articleshow/79600409.cms">Top stocks to watch — RIL, Maruti Suzuki, NMDC, SBI, ONGC, Eicher Motors, Likhitha Infrastructure, Tata Consumer, and others</a>

Congress, AAP, CITU and workers from 360 villages back farmers, stage protest at Gurugram

<ul><li>Apart from the heatwave, <keyword id="8759918" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="farm-incomes" source="Orion">farm incomes</keyword> were hit by pests, disease and a bad sowing experience.</li></ul><ul><li>Dairy farmers had gained from increased prices but were hit by the fodder crisis.</li></ul><ul><li>Rural families coped with inflation and lower income by reducing spending on essentials and wiping off their savings to spend on essentials and white goods.</li></ul><ul><li>Non-agricultural factors like rural wage increases and government subsidies saw an uptick, with a positive effect on the <keyword id="74478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rural-economy" source="Orion">rural economy</keyword>. </li></ul>India’s heatwave has abated but left lasting effects, especially on villages. It came in March — just when the <keyword id="6418449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rabi-crop" source="Orion">Rabi crop</keyword> was set to ripen. As a result, farm outputs were truncated by 5-10% across five states – Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. This Rabi crop has been cursed by weather gods since the beginning as unseasonal rains had hit them hard during the sowing season. Pest, disease and hail “Extreme hot weather in March 2022 – highest temperature since 1901 - that is a ripening stage, led to shrivelled grain. Pests and disease also impacted yields this year,” said a report by Spark Capital. Especially in the Northern region of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, the yields of wheat and cumin seeds witnessed a sharp decline of 10-20%. Sugarcane yields too fell by 10% and so was the maize yield. Added to that, mango yields were lower by 50% in some states – eating into this premium crop earnings that many farmers bank on. Farmers of onions and grapes where the yield was good, were hit by low prices. Dairy farmers may look better in comparison as their prices rose, but they took home less of it as the fodder crisis hit them hard. A bumper crop ahead? In spite of a bad season, it looks like farmers are setting themselves for another round of good sowing season – with record fertilizer purchases in April this year – aided by good monsoon predictions and good water levels at reservoirs. This time around, they might get paid better too as the government has increased the minimum support prices (MSP) for the <keyword id="6617893" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kharif-crop" source="Orion">Kharif crop</keyword> by 6.1% - the best hike in the last four years. “We calculate the net farm income to go up by 19% in FY23 versus a decline of 2.6% in FY22 (estimates),” the Spark Capital report said. This will cushion the effect of an 8-10% hike in input prices like diesel costs, seed and fertilizer prices and labour costs. An increase in <keyword id="710199" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rural-wages" source="Orion">rural wages</keyword> also helps improve the rural economy. Also, there has been an uptick in domestic remittances – as more migrant workers are sending more back to their homes. The land prices jumped by 15-20% in rural areas and nearby cities in two years, across India. “People want to own a house rather than living in a rented place post the pandemic. People, who are living in cities and other countries, are purchasing land/houses, post the pandemic, which has increased the prices,” the report surmised. Biscuits are out but TVs are in The pandemic has changed the purchase patterns of villagers but their purchasing power has remained intact according to Spark Capital’s ground report. In fact, their frugality is reflected in decreased consumption of packaged items. However, at the same time demand for durable goods had increased. For example, with rising labour costs, most farmers are going in for mechanization and buying tractors, while food consumption as a theme shifted to staples. “People have reduced consumption to only necessity and down trading to cheaper FMCG products or reducing the quantity,” the report said. The rural inflation is higher than it is in urban areas, due to a higher food mix, and the biggest hit was taken by FMCG players whose biscuit and other sales fell in the last few months. However, government subsidies and their increased rural spending via various schemes have given a slight boost to the economy. The spending priorities of farm families are much different than urban families that are lifestyle based. The first on the list of farm income spends is repaying dues – reflected in the improvement in debt repayment. It is followed by farm investments and when they spend, they spend on the events and white goods. “As the activities opened after 2 years of Covid fear, people have started spending on marriage, house, ACs, 2/4 wheelers etc. though they are conscious of spending as high inflation has limited their options,” the report said. There has been an unfavourable effect of these spending patterns as well – a bad Rabi crop along with post-pandemic spending patterns have left most of rural India without any savings. “They are mostly in a hand to mouth existence,” the report says. Even as all of India is limping back from the pandemic crisis, the rural economy might move only slower than the ruined Rabi earnings, the only saving grace being the hope of a better Rabi crop. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/bharat-bandh-against-agnipath-bihar-suspends-internet-services-in-20-districts/articleshow/92331931.cms" style="">Bharat Bandh against Agnipath: Bihar suspends Internet services in 20 districts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/citymall-lays-off-191-employees-as-it-battles-market-conditions/articleshow/92328638.cms" style="">Social commerce platform CityMall lays off 191 employees as it battles market conditions</a>

Vanished savings, trading down to cheaper essentials – life in rural India hit by a wilted Rabi crop

<keyword id="6354780" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnataka">Karnataka</keyword> is bracing up for a day-long shutdown on Monday by thousands of farmers and others across the southern state in protest against the controversial farmers' bills passed by the Centre and the state government last week. "We have tightened the security and deployed additional police personnel in cities and towns across the state and stepped up vigil to prevent untoward incidents during the shutdown," a state home ministry official told IANS here. In an effort to prevent the shutdown, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa urged the farmers to withdraw the shutdown call, as it would disrupt normal life and cause inconvenience to thousands of people in Covid times. "As the bandh (shutdown) is uncalled for, I appeal to farmers and others to withdraw their call and discuss their problems with us," Yediyurappa told reporters here. The chief minister, however, said measures are being taken to ensure normal life is not affected and people are able to go to work by operating public services like buses and metro rail in the city. The state legislative assembly on Saturday night passed the controversial bills to amend the APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee) Act and the Land Reforms Act amidst protest and walkout by the opposition Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) members. The ryots and other organisations are also protesting against the farmers' bills passed in Parliament last week, as they are alleged to be against their interests and welfare. Rejecting the chief minister's appeal, about 50 farmers' associations and other supporting organisations said they would observe the shutdown and court arrest in hundreds if the police disrupt their protest rallies and sit-in demonstrations against the state and central bills. Though the chief minister explained to the farm leaders at a meeting here on Friday that the amendments to the APMC were to double their income by allowing them to sell their produce for the best price they get anywhere in the state or country, they refused to withdraw the shutdown call. Terming the shutdown call illegal and against the Supreme Court orders, state revenue minister R. Ashok said state government and private offices would be open and public transport services like buses, autos and taxis would operate to ensure commuting. "Strict action will be taken against those forcing people to observe bandh or disrupting normal life. Police has been told to ensure peace and maintain law and order across the state," asserted Ashok. Though the agitating organisations have exempted essential supplies and services from the dawn-to-dusk shutdown, private transport services like autos, taxis and buses are likely to stay away, as their unions are supporting the shutdown. "Thousands of farmers, labourers, workers, traders and rural people will observe the shutdown by staging protest rallies and demonstrations against the state and central governments for their anti-farmer bills," Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangh (farmers' association) president Kodihalli Chandrashekar told reporters here. The state government, however, failed to get the bill to amend the labour laws passed through the legislative council on Saturday though it secured approval in the assembly on Friday where the ruling BJP has majority. "In the 75-member council, 14 members voted in favour of the Industrial Disputes and Certain Other Laws amendment bill, while 26 members of the Congress and the JD-S opposed it, causing embarrassment to the ruling BJP. <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/president-ram-nath-kovind-approves-all-three-farm-bills-which-have-been-the-reason-for-farmers-protests-across-the-country/articleshow/78350824.cms">President Ram Nath Kovind approves all three farm bills which have been the reason for farmers' protests across the countr</a>

Karnataka braces for a day long shutdown on Monday by thousands of farmers

<keyword id="6358777" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="New-Delhi">New Delhi</keyword>, A delegation of 13 farmer leaders have left the <keyword id="10347936" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="singhu">Singhu</keyword> border, one of the protest sites of the farmers on the outskirts of the national capital, to meet Union Home Minister <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="amit-shah">Amit Shah</keyword> at his residence on Tuesday evening. The meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. on at Shah's 6A, Krishna Menon Marg residence. Noting that this movement is under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, <keyword id="10399119" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="haryana-bhartiya-kisan-union">Haryana Bhartiya Kisan Union</keyword> (BKU) President Gurnam Singh Chathuni said in a press briefing at Singh border that the Home Minister contacted the farmers' unions earlier in the day and invited them for the meeting. Referring to Tuesday's Bharat Bandh, Chathuni said that the government should understand that the whole nation joined the call given by the farmers. BKU leader Bhog Singh Maansa said that all the producers and consumers are with them, saying "the delegation meeting with the Home Minister this evening will decide the future plan". The national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Rakesh Tikait, earlier made the announcement about the farmers' unions' meeting with Shah. The BKU leader made the announcement amid the ongoing Bharat Bandh call being given by the protesting farmers. It is learnt that Tikait, who represents a group of farmers from Wester Uttar Pradesh, received the invite from the government. The meeting will be significant ahead of the sixth round of government-farmers talks scheduled on Wednesday at the Vigyan Bhawan in <keyword id="6494398" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="central-delhi">Central Delhi</keyword>. Earlier, five rounds of talks remained inconclusive with the two sides sticking to their points. One of the farmers' demands was to meet Shah to resolve their issues. "We have a meeting with the Home Minister at 7 p.m. today. We are going to Singhu border now and from there we will go to meet the Home Minister," Tikait said. Tikait is sitting on protest at the Ghazipur border on Delhi-UP route in support of thousands of farmers staging demonstration against the Central government since November 26, demanding to repeal the three farm laws enacted in September during the Monsoon Session of the Parliament. Tikait, Gurnam Singh, Hanan Mullah, Balveer Singh Rajewal, Manjeet Singh, Shiv Kumar Kakka, Darhsan Pal, Bog Singh Mansa, Jagjeet Singh Dalewal, Rurdu Singh Maan, Baljeet Rai, Boota Singh and Harvinder Singh Lakhowal are among the farmer leaders from Punjab, West Bengal, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh who will meet Shah. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/checkout-effects-of-bharat-bandh-in-haryana-delhi-gujarat-maharashtra-karnataka-rajasthan-and-chhattisgarh/slidelist/79619898.cms">From Haryana, Delhi to Maharashtra and Karnataka — here’s how Bharat Bandh is affecting the common life in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/mukesh-ambani-says-jio-will-rollout-5g-services-by-june-2021-and-it-will-go-beyond-india/articleshow/79619222.cms">Mukesh Ambani says Jio will rollout 5G services by June 2021 – and it will go beyond India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-canara-bank-sun-pharma-titan-nbcc-gujarat-state-fertilizers-coffee-day-and-others/articleshow/79617464.cms">Top stocks to watch — Canara Bank, Sun Pharma, Titan, NBCC, Gujarat State Fertilizers, Coffee Day, and others</a>

13 farmer leaders leave Singhu border to meet Amit Shah

New Delhi, With the Centre-farmer talks ending in a stalemate, thousands of <keyword id="45092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="farmers">farmers</keyword> stayed put at Delhi borders on Wednesday to press for repeal of the agri marketing laws. A meeting called by Home Minister <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="amit-shah">Amit Shah</keyword> ended in failure on Tuesday night as farmer leaders rejected the government's offer to amend new farm laws, saying they would settle for nothing less than the scrapping of the legislations. The sixth round of talks between the government and farmer unions to end the protests on Delhi's various borders, which was scheduled on Wednesday, has been cancelled. This comes after many farm leaders had threatened to boycott the talks. As the protests continued, traffic was disrupted at border points with farmers agitating on the the <keyword id="10347936" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="singhu">Singhu</keyword>, TIkri and Ghazipur borders of Delhi. Taking to Twitter, <keyword id="9602467" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-delhi-traffic-police">the Delhi Traffic Police</keyword> alerted commuters about that the Tikri, Jharoda, Dhansa Borders are closed for any traffic movement. However, Jhatikara border is open only for two wheelers and pedestrian movement. It also said that those travelling to Haryana can take <keyword id="2669169" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="daurala">Daurala</keyword>, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera Borders. "Singhu, Auchandi, Piao Maniyari, Mangesh borders are closed. NH-44 is closed on both sides. Take alternate routes via Lampur, Safiabad, Saboli, NH8/Bhopra /Apsara borders /Peripheral expressway, the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted. It also said that the traffic has been diverted from Mukarba and GTK road and suggested commuters to avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK road, NH-44. Farmer leaders have been firm on their demand for repeal of three new farm laws enacted in September. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/checkout-effects-of-bharat-bandh-in-haryana-delhi-gujarat-maharashtra-karnataka-rajasthan-and-chhattisgarh/slidelist/79619898.cms">From Haryana, Delhi to Maharashtra and Karnataka — here’s how Bharat Bandh is affecting the common life in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/mukesh-ambani-says-jio-will-rollout-5g-services-by-june-2021-and-it-will-go-beyond-india/articleshow/79619222.cms">Mukesh Ambani says Jio will rollout 5G services by June 2021 – and it will go beyond India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-canara-bank-sun-pharma-titan-nbcc-gujarat-state-fertilizers-coffee-day-and-others/articleshow/79617464.cms">Top stocks to watch — Canara Bank, Sun Pharma, Titan, NBCC, Gujarat State Fertilizers, Coffee Day, and others</a>

Farmer leaders insist on scrapping of agri legislations, fresh talks cancelled

<ul><li>Around 15-20 people set a <keyword id="10012878" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="tractor-on-fire-at-india-gate">tractor on fire at India Gate</keyword> on Monday morning following protests by farmers and opposition parties across the country. </li><li>Farmers across the country — in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Delhi — have been blocking highways, restricting access to rail and other transport to raise their voice against the agricultural-related laws. </li><li>These laws allow farmers to sell their produce to private players outside the market set up by the government. </li><li>Thousands of farmers in Karnataka have called for a day-long shutdown to protest the amendments. </li></ul>The farmers’ protest against the agricultural-related bills — which has now become a law — has intensified across the country. A Congress MP from Kerala moved the Supreme Court on Monday, challenging the constitutional validity of various provisions of the contentious new farm Act. TN Prathapan, who represents Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, has alleged that the Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 is violative of Article 14 (right to equality), 15 (prohibition of discrimination) and 21 (right to life and liberty) of the Constitution. Meanwhile, Punjab CM Amrinder Singh — who has been supporting farmers since the beginning — has <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/karnataka-bandh-live-updates-farmers-protests-against-farm-bill-today/liveblog/78356571.cms">decided </a>to move the Supreme Court as well. Whereas, three BJP leaders — Kikar Singh Kutbewal, Charandeep Singh, Angrej Singh Mintu — <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/politics/three-punjab-bjp-leaders-resign-from-party-in-protest-against-farm-bills-5894601.html">have decided to quit</a>. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the agriculture-related laws are a "death sentence" for farmers whose voice has been crushed both inside and outside Parliament. Thousands of farmers have been raising their concerns against the three <keyword id="6123679" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="farm-bills">farm bills</keyword>. Fresh violent protests erupted in New Delhi a day after President Ram Nath Kovind approved the three farm bills. Around 15-20 people set a tractor on fire at <keyword id="6354210" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="india-gate">India Gate</keyword> on Monday morning following protests by farmers and opposition parties across the country over the contentious farm legislations that were passed by the Parliament last week. The fire was doused, and the tractor removed. The police have reportedly <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/tractor-set-on-fire-at-india-gate-in-delhi-to-protest-farm-bills-2301925">arrested </a>five people in the matter. <div type="twitter" handle="ANI" handlename="ANI" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1497864299/ani_mic_logo_normal.jpg" favoritecount="8869" retweetcount="1832" status="#WATCH: Punjab Youth Congress workers stage a protest against the farm laws near India Gate in Delhi. A tractor was… https://t.co/ixRAoLMceE" createdat="1601264172000" id="1310423032943407105"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="Sonu_indiatv" handlename="Sonu Kumar🇮🇳 (India TV)" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1280196840726487040/gKafepNI_normal.jpg" favoritecount="24" retweetcount="4" status="किसान बिल के विरोध में कुछ लोगों ने इंडिया गेट के पास राजपथ पर ट्रैक्टर में आग लगाई। #KisanBill2020 @indiatvnews https://t.co/1xCWlvk6QW" createdat="1601261686000" id="1310412605891080194"></div> Protests across rest of India Farmers across the country — in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi — have been blocking highways, restricting access to rail and other transport to raise their voice against the agricultural-related laws. Protesters are also said to have <a href="https://twitter.com/Vivisash68/status/1310437875880587264">reportedly </a>burned effigies of political leaders who support these bills. These laws allow farmers to sell their produce to private players outside the market set up by the government. Before the law, farmers weren’t allowed to sell their produce outside an Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC). PM Narendra Modi has insisted in his latest Mann ki Baat that these laws will allow farmers to fetch a good price for their produce. However, farmers believe the laws remove the provision of the minimum support price, which gives an edge to a private player. The Punjab Youth Congress staged a protest — <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=321932482371481&amp;extid=W3vFGq2yuZk64WJ0">and live-streamed the protest on their official Facebook page </a>— against the Central government this morning. <div type="twitter" handle="IYC" handlename="Youth Congress" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1303619063130726400/oVeCC1cp_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1981" retweetcount="724" status="If the deaf are to hear, the sound has to be very loud: Bhagat Singh.In honour of the memory of Shaheed… https://t.co/kgDbDuBLYq" createdat="1601265386000" id="1310428125738786816"></div> They said they are here to protest against the ‘black laws’ brought by the government for farmers of the country and are supported by the Amrinder Singh government in Punjab. Thousands of farmers in Karnataka called for a day-long shutdown to protest the amendments. The dawn-to-dusk bandh call has been supported by several pro-Kannada and other outfits besides the opposition Congress and the JD(S), who had opposed the amendment bills in the assembly. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/maharashtras-restaurants-and-bars-are-likely-to-reopen-soon/articleshow/78364247.cms">Maharashtra’s restaurants and bars are likely to reopen for dine-in services</a>

Farmers protest in India intensify — Kerala MP and Punjab CM to move the Supreme Court, three Punjab BJP leaders resign

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> has upheld the notification issued for acquiring land for the ₹10,000 crore Chennai-Salem eight-lane greenfield expressway project.</li><li>The SC verdict allows the Indian government and the <keyword id="87432" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Highways-Authority-of-India">National Highways Authority of India</keyword> (NHAI) to issue notifications for the land they wish to acquire for the project.</li><li>However, further proceedings will determine whether or not the actual acquisition of the land will occur.</li></ul>The ₹10,000 crore Chennai-Salem expressway project, which has been at the center of controversy in the poll-bound state of <keyword id="20154" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</keyword>, got the nod to proceed from the <a href="https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/chennai-salem-expressway-supreme-court-land-acquisition-166940">Supreme Court on December 8</a>. The apex institution has ruled that the central government and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) can acquire the land they require for this massive endeavour. But, it’s not a complete green light. The judgement only means that the authorities can issue notifications of their intent to buy the land without any environmental clearance. Fresh proceedings will be initiated to determine the actual acquisition of the land by the central government and the NHAI. The verdict, in part, reverses the Madras High Court’s judgement concerning the notification of land acquisition for the eight-lane expressway. Concerns around the Chennai-Salem expressway project Even though the project got approval back in February 2018, it has faced delays in the face of protests and legal battles. Activists and farmers in five districts — including Tiruvannamalai and Salem — have been up in arms over the proposed 277.30-kilometre highway, alleging that it would be a monumental loss of agricultural land and the biodiversity in the area. When the <a href="https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/prior-environmental-clearance-necessary-for-nh-land-acquisition-madras-hc-quashes-acquisition-for-chennai-salem-8-lane-highway-read-judgment-144159">Madras High Court</a> looked a little closer, they found that the proposal itself for a ‘copy-paste’ job with references to Bangalore and a town in China, which had nothing to do with the Chennai-Salem expressway. It also found that the NHAI’s selection process for project consultants was faulty. The final contender was given the project without any written orders or tender. The bench also disagreed with the pitch of the assertion that the expressway would help the common man in its 117-page verdict. Since there are only around four to six exits along the entire stretch of the highway, the locals have nothing to gain. If anything, the project would make it harder for them to zip between small towns, according to the Madras High Court. “The projection made by NHAI, as to the benefits of the project highway appears to be illusory,” it said. According to the government, the Chennai-Salem ‘Greenfield Corridor’ under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, would cut down the travel time between Chennai and Salem. <keyword id="24659" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tamil-nadu-Chief-Minister">Tamil Nadu Chief Minister</keyword> Edappadi K Palaniswami <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/renewed-efforts-to-implement-chennai-salem-corridor-sparks-fresh-protests/article27699974.ece">claims</a> that the corridor is required to fuel growth in the western districts of the state. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/canara-bank-launches-2000-crore-qip-sets-the-floor-price-at-103-50-per-share/articleshow/79617503.cms">Canara Bank’s ₹2,000 crore fundraising plan boosts the share price by over 12% in two days</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/jupiter-and-saturn-will-reunite-after-800-years-on-the-longest-night-of-2020-to-form-a-rare-christmas-star/articleshow/79620041.cms">Jupiter and Saturn will reunite after 800 years on the longest night of 2020 to form a rare 'Christmas star'</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/checkout-effects-of-bharat-bandh-in-haryana-delhi-gujarat-maharashtra-karnataka-rajasthan-and-chhattisgarh/slidelist/79619898.cms">From Haryana, Delhi to Maharashtra and Karnataka — here’s how Bharat Bandh is affecting the common life in India</a>

Chennai-Salem expressway: Supreme Court gives Indian government partial nod — land still needs to be acquired

<ul><li>Nutrition expert Dr. <keyword id="4449519" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="nandita-iyer">Nandita Iyer</keyword> shares her views on what the term ‘<keyword id="1695225" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Superfood">superfood</keyword>’ actually means, and whether we need to indulge in the trend or not. </li><li>Any food that has a high proportion of one or more of these nutrients — such as vitamins, minerals or antioxidants — qualifies to be known as a superfood</li><li>"If you look at Indian superfoods, something like <keyword id="6400986" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="amla">amla</keyword> clearly tops the list because if blueberries are topping every international listicle on superfoods, amla has fifty times the antioxidant capacity of blueberries." - Dr. Nandita Iyer </li></ul> From <keyword id="55635" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Turmeric">turmeric</keyword> to <keyword id="6446946" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ghee">ghee</keyword>, Indians often tend to undervalue their historic possessions, but the moment it starts making waves abroad, we are more than willing to embrace something that was available to us all along. And strangely enough, some also resort to splurging copious amounts of money on imported fruits, vegetables, seeds, oils and whatnot while ignoring the real gems our land provides us. Business Insider spoke to nutrition expert Dr. Nandita Iyer who, after her first book — The Everyday Healthy Vegetarian — is set to launch her next book Everyday Superfoods in March, this year. She shares her views on what the term ‘superfood’ actually means, and whether we need to indulge in the trend or not. <div type="Video" msid="81211869" hostid="261" title="Dr. Nandita Iyer weighs in on how Indian cuisine is and always has been packed with 'superfoods'" dataSource="BUSINESSINSIDER" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=81211869"></div> In her book, she has a section on 'Superfood Compendium' in which she lists out 39 of the most potent superfoods grown in India. These include: <div type="image" title="Superfoods" msid="81242013" hostid="261"></div> <div type="image" title="Indian superfoods" msid="81241421" hostid="261"></div> Edited excerpts of the conversation with Dr. Nandita Iyer follow: What is your definition of a superfood? When I was researching my book Everyday Superfoods, the first question that came to my mind is, how did this word come into being? And what I discovered was quite funny. The first-ever recorded usage of this word was in a Jamaican newspaper, and it was actually a reference to a wine brand — they just got creative. And the second known instance was in 1949, where another Canadian newspaper was advertising a muffin using the word superfood. So I think that the whole thing of using this term for marketing is definitely not a new thing because even before the term started being used in its true sense of the word, it was actually being used by brands. The definition of a superfood is pretty simple — it is any food that is nutrient-dense. Any food that has a high proportion of one or more of these nutrients — such as vitamins, minerals or antioxidants — qualifies to be known as a superfood, which is the well-accepted definition in the scientific community. Some believe it is just a marketing gimmick. Would you say otherwise? A true superfood will definitely have health benefits that are good for general health and boosting immunity. But to loosely use this term for processed goods, packaged foods, is definitely, I would say, a marketing gimmick. In the pre-Covid times, I used to love walking around supermarkets and see what new products were there. And invariably, there would be a whole bunch of new products that called themselves superfood, which is pretty misleading. It is the worst possible way to mislead people who may not be aware of nutrition and who may not be having a scientific bent of mind, so they may believe what is written on the packet. It is just a way to jack up the price of any product — if a regular food item costs X, by calling it a superfood, you can easily charge 5X. Considering the environmental cost, what are your thoughts on imported food items like avocados, <keyword id="573117" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Quinoa">quinoa</keyword> etc. In my book Everyday Superfoods, I have a whole chapter on sustainability. Anything that gets the label of a superfood does benefit the farmers who are growing that particular superfood. However, it also leads to a whole bunch of other unpleasant side effects. Instead of focusing on what is local, instead of focusing on what is in season, everybody starts rushing towards buying that one thing because it is in trend, it is popular, and it is getting a lot of attention and likes on Instagram, and that is not a good way to eat at all. If a lot of farmers start growing turmeric alone because it is the next big thing it will lead to monocropping - where farmers, instead of growing a variety of foods, grow one kind of food in one place. And that means the soil gets depleted, so they are adding extra fertilisers, further polluting groundwater. So it is like a vicious cycle. When it comes to quinoa, I think it started getting popular in the 1980s in the US because it began getting imported from Central America etc. Then the United Nations (UN) declared 2013 "The International Year of Quinoa." That just led to prices going up, and every farmer in South America was growing quinoa, and they did not even want to eat it themselves because they said, 'I could sell it for so much more so why should I eat into my own earnings, right?' The locals themselves stopped eating their ancient grains, something they were so used to, and they started eating wheat and other grains. It just destroys the balance of things in nature. This is why the emphasis is on - what is local, what is in season, and what have your ancestors been eating? Michael Pollan is someone I really consider a guru, and he says, "Don't eat anything your great-great-grandmother wouldn't recognise as food." And did my great, great grandmother know about quinoa? That said, this is a complex issue. Quinoa is now well grown in Karnataka. That is why the prices have fallen from what used to be like Rs 1500 or kilo to now it is literally Rs 200 a kilo. The good thing is that the crop does not consume as much water as rice because it is a pseudo-grain and grows in slightly harsher conditions. So it is okay for me to buy quinoa, which is locally-grown and it has not travelled 10,000 miles to reach me. So there is no binary in this aspect, which is why this whole subject is so complex and so tough for people to decide what to eat, what not to eat. It takes a few extra seconds to see the back of the pack and see where it is grown because it will definitely be mentioned. <div type="image" title="Amla" msid="81241745" hostid="261"></div> Can you give us a bit of a primer on Indian superfoods? Since we talked about how it is not really a label that matters, the questions we need to ask are, is this a nutrient-dense food? Is this locally available? Is it readily available? Because anything you label as a superfood is usually costly, it is not available round the year and is often imported from far away. These will be very difficult to include in your daily diet, and like we already discussed, no superfood is a miracle pill that you eat once a year, and your life will be sorted. So, whatever it is, it needs to be consumed in a fairly regular way. It needs to be part of your lifestyle, and for that purpose, these can only be readily available and affordable foods. If you look at Indian superfoods, something like amla clearly tops the list because if blueberries are topping every international listicle on superfoods, amla has fifty times the antioxidant capacity of blueberries. And it is so cheap, local, and though it is seasonal, the beauty in Indian food and Indian cuisine is that there are at least five different ways in which amla is preserved - it is dried, it is made into a supari, it is preserved in honey, it is preserved as a sharbat, and of course, pickled. So while amla is available possibly for three months in a year, we can actually eat it round the year by just using our traditional preservation techniques. We do not need any factory or industry to be preserving it, these are all home-based preservation techniques. Fermented drinks like kombucha seem to be all the rage. What are the Indian alternatives to the same? So, we have our chaach, and there is a kaanji made in the North using mustard seeds and carrots fermented over two to three days. In the South, you have kanji, which is nothing but rice that is overcooked and soft and some buttermilk is added to that, and it is actually kept overnight to ferment. Sometimes it is also hard because when there was rice leftover the previous night and there was no refrigeration in the earlier days, so people would just add water to the rice and leave it outside on the counter. Next morning, it will be slightly fermented, and they will have it with some chopped onion or pickle. In Odisha, you have the pakhala bhata, which is again a similar thing where it is an overnight fermented rice gruel. This is a double dose of probiotics from fermenting the rice itself, and you are adding buttermilk, which is also a fermented drink. Do you believe that those who are not buying into this trend are destined for doom? I definitely think they are not doomed. But the superfoods I have mentioned in my book are so every day that invariably, people living in India are eating many of them in their standard diet. Like dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, lobia (black-eyed peas), green moong, these are all everyday ingredients but poor things — they do not come with this crown or this fancy label, but they are superfoods. Whether you buy into the trend or not, if you are eating Indian cuisine, you are already eating many of these things. We eat turmeric every single day, and black pepper is there in our masalas, plus our chai masala has so many ingredients. So Indian cuisine is so rich in superfoods by itself that even if someone is a non-believer in this trend, they are already eating it. I am sorry to disappoint them. However, it is definitely not true that they are doomed if they do not buy into the trend because, anything that we adapt, it has to be a gradual change in lifestyle itself, and that is what we need to believe and invest in it rather than just flipping from trend to trend because a trend is very temporary and a lifestyle is forever. In life, health and nutrition, there are absolutely no binaries. People want binary answers because it saves them from analysing their own life and health problems. They need to think for themselves and find out, 'Am I able to do this? Is this sustainable for me?' This is why I get quite frustrated when I see a YouTube video saying, 'drink this pink tea and you will lose 20 kilos'. Which is one of the reasons I wrote this book. It is not fancy, it is not clickbait, and it is not anything shocking. It is pretty much everyday knowledge, but definitely, that common knowledge and moderation seem to be somewhere lurking in the background. It is not convincing enough for people to follow a more moderate path. Also, our health is heavily dependent on our genetic lottery. I may abuse my health in every possible way, and I may still live to 100 with absolutely no problems. And someone who is so careful about their health does everything right and suffers a cardiac problem in their 40s. I am not saying follow the trend and go after every superfood you see, but try to take some baby steps towards a good lifestyle that you sustain for life. Not something you do because it is in the news today. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/ignore-low-cibil-score-for-street-vendor-loans-work-on-holidays-and-other-diktats-from-indian-government-to-banks-rushing-to-meet-march-target/articleshow/81223572.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">EXCLUSIVE: Ignore low CIBIL score for street vendor loans, work on holidays, and other diktats from Indian government to banks rushing to meet March target</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/bharat-bandh-over-eight-crore-traders-across-india-shut-shop-in-protest-against-rising-fuel-prices-and-changes-in-gst-rules/articleshow/81223361.cms">Bharat Bandh – over eight crore traders across India shut shop in protest against rising fuel prices and changes in GST rules</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-wants-you-to-memorise-all-your-debit-and-credit-card-numbers/articleshow/81186570.cms">RBI wants you to memorise all your debit and credit card numbers — Amazon, Zomato, Netflix and others argue this will make online payments more tedious</a>

You Searched For "life in karnataka bandh" and got 11 results

From Haryana, Delhi to Maharashtra and Karnataka — here’s how Bharat Bandh is affecting the common life in India

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One Day Bandh In Karnataka on February 13: What will Remain Closed In The State

BI India Bureau

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Congress, AAP, CITU and workers from 360 villages back farmers, stage protest at Gurugram

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Vanished savings, trading down to cheaper essentials – life in rural India hit by a wilted Rabi crop

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Karnataka braces for a day long shutdown on Monday by thousands of farmers

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13 farmer leaders leave Singhu border to meet Amit Shah

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Farmers protest in India intensify — Kerala MP and Punjab CM to move the Supreme Court, three Punjab BJP leaders resign

BI India Bureau

Chennai-Salem expressway: Supreme Court gives Indian government partial nod — land still needs to be acquired

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Whether we like it or not, Indians are already partaking in the superfood ‘trend’

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