https://vimeo.com/507040890 

FREE/DEM stands for FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY. What began as an initiative to bring issues around active citizenship and an understanding of democratic values and practices to grassroots communities through community radio has now expanded to become a larger effort to teach media and information literacy to marginalized communities.

The initiative is now active with communities across *Delhi, Rajasthan, UP and Bihar* - and includes capacity building on *media skills *(making audio and video content); *digital literacy* (using mobile phones; accessing information over the internet), and *fact-checking and verification* (including skills to stop the spread of fake news and misinformation). Community members participate in a series of training workshops organized within the community (and supported by local screenings and events) over a period of several months, where they are trained in these skills, and encouraged to become media creators rather than be passive consumers of information created elsewhere.

The Delhi communities, based in migrant populations around Badarpur border, now runs its own *WhatsApp 'channel' *by creating audio and video content on information the community wants to share and ideas the community would like to discuss. They have successfully used this mechanism for advocacy with their local ward councillor, as well as their MLA, to address several issues around drainage, sanitation and access to entitlements.

You can see some of the content they create at www.freedem.in 

Modi’s Monetisation Mantra Is a Blow Worse... - Dipankar Bhattacharya https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=390254576028372&id=111747030545796&sfnsn=wiwspwa

With assets, the government will naturally also shed jobs. Less government jobs will mean loss of reservations for the socially deprived and loss of job and income security for all who will now have to look for jobs in private companies. There will be bigger blows to wider sections of people. Prices will go up with little regulation by the government and growing monopoly power of the big companies. Tariffs of all services are already going up, and the government has already amended the Essential Commodities Act to pave the way for an across the board rise in prices of all essential items.

While consumers will have to bear with increased prices, small traders, roadside vendors and livelihood earners will suffer a major jolt. Privatisation of roads will mean appearance of toll plazas and expensive eateries and disappearance of roadside dhabas, tea stalls and repair shops. Adani-Ambani railway stations will be more like airport lounges and shopping malls where food courts and expensive coffee shops will replace the fruit and tea vendors and providers of cheap meals who will lose their access to stations and trains.

NMP by its very nature will have much more enduring effect, with the public sector virtually being replaced by powerful private players and consumers and small producers being completely subjugated to the extortionist ways of big business.

Read more …

महापंचायत में उमड़ा जनसैलाब, मिशन UP की शुरुआत | Muzaffarnagar | Mahapanchayat  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43Lq2p-Qu-M 

Muzaffarnagar की KisanMahapanchayat में इस ऐलान के बाद सुनेगी सरकार ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmzAAuNb6eY  Sep 5, 2021  Ajit Anjum Soeaks to Rakesh Tikait, Yoginder Yadav, Medha Patkar. and other leader on the dais itself.  

Muzaffarnagar mega farmers rally vows to oust Yogi Adityanath regime https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/thousands-of-farmers-attend-kisan-mahapanchayat-in-muzaffarnagar/article36301798.ece Anuj KumarPriscilla Jebaraj MUZAFFARNAGAR, SEPTEMBER 05, 2021 Lakhs of farmers streamed into Muzaffarnagar on Sunday for the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s largest mahapanchayat so far to hear Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait declare his determination to oust the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh next year by tapping into rural anger and uniting farmers and workers across religion and caste.

The SKM is a platform for farm unions which, for the last ten months, has been protesting against three agricultural reform laws which could affect State-run markets, and also called for a legal guarantee for minimum support prices for all farm produce.

सबसे बड़ा सवाल: मुजफ्फरनगर से किसानों की हुंकार…कितनी तैयार सरकार ? Sandeep Chaudhary के साथ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk7aA1xjFQo 
Sep 5, 2021

 Farmers Hold Meet In Muzaffarnagar, Will Campaign Against BJP In UP Polls  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4OvrEEvN1w 
Sep 6, 2021

 Prime Time With Ravish Kumar: क्या किसान आंदोलन पश्चिमी Uttar Pradesh में दंगों के दाग मिटा पाएगा? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K40KIwaGZV8
Sep 6, 2021 : राकेश टिकैत (Rakesh Tikait) ने कहा कि पहले के किसान आंदोलन (Farmers' Protest) में एकता के लिए अल्लाहू अकबर और हर-हर महादेव का नारा लगता था. इस दौर में इसे दोहराना साहसिक है. धार्मिक नारों को राजनीतिक मुद्दों की लड़ाई से जितनी जल्दी विदा कर दिया जाए उतना ही अच्छा. हर दूसरा किसान नेता दंगों के खिलाफ भाषण दे रहा था.

NDTV बंद करवाने पर मोदी को खुली चुनौती, रवीश कुमार का खास संदेश https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXPRFVfrr-Q   Sep 4, 2021

Hathway removes NDTV prime time of Ravish Kumar from the popular preselected channels. Ravish Kumar has asked his audience to call Hathway and askedfor this channel.

Prime Time You Tube Channel videos : https://www.youtube.com/user/ndtvindia/videos 

Response by Friends:

Esteves: Actually this is the case in most of North India. All public place/lodges/hotels etc only play Hindi GodiMedia. When I enquired at one of the places where I stayed they said that a certain party pays them a monthly amount to not tune any other channel, so even if you agree to pay them extra for let us say NDTV, they bluntly refuse!! I was desperate for news and Hindi is not my strong point!!
 Now Hathway seems to have gone a step further!!

Prime Time With Ravish Kumar: "Shoddy, Callous", Says Court, Slams Police Over Delhi Riots  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfC6goaRi-8 Sep 3, 2021 

Prime Time With Ravish Kumar - September 3, 2021: A furious Delhi court on Friday slammed police in the national capital over a "shoddy", "callous" and "indolent" investigation into the violence that rocked the city in February last year. The Karkardooma court's strong criticism of Delhi Police, which reports to the Union Home Ministry, came as it acquitted three people, including Shah Alam, who is AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain's brother, who had been charged with looting and vandalising a shop in Chand Bagh. (Audio in Hindi)

Damning Court Observations Raise Serious Questions on Delhi Police's Riots Probe https://thewire.in/communalism/delhi-riots-court-questions-police-probe 
A survey of several bail orders in Delhi riots cases reveals the police's terribly casual and flawed approach.

While granting bail to one Irshad Ahmed, who was alleged to have assisted Tahir Hussain in attacking the houses of Hindus, the Delhi high court made a damning observation that the eyewitnesses in the chargesheet “seemed to be planted”. The so-called eyewitnesses were police constables themselves. The high court noted that though the two police constables claimed that they were at the spot of the crime and identified the accused, they waited for three days to lodge the FIR.

“As per the statement of Constable Pawan and Constable Ankit (both are eye witnesses and were present at the spot), they had identified the petitioner and other co-accused. However, they have not made any complaint on the date of incident, i.e. 25.02.2020, whereas the FIR was lodged on 28.02.2020. Thus, the said witnesses seem to be planted one,” the high court observed.

In the case of Kasim as well, the high court refused to take into account the statements of police witnesses. In the case of Kasim as well, the high court refused to take into account the statements of police witnesses.

The police had arrested student leader Devangana Kalita alleging that she had instigated a mob to resort to violence in a case related to Delhi riots. However, the high court observed that there was no evidence of Kalita instigating violence and that materials produced by the investigating agency only showed that she was participating in peaceful agitations against the CAA.

Delhi riots: No investigation done, says court; gives Faisal Farooq bail https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/delhi-riots-no-investigation-done-says-court-gives-faisal-farooq-bail/story-297jXK1dqaDNmbF0UdVGBK.html 
Farooq, however, will continue to stay in jail in connection to another matter in which the Delhi high court had dismissed his bail plea.By Richa Banka, DEC 15, 2020

“It is, however, evident that till June 20, 2020, virtually no investigation had been done in the present matter and after the applicant (Farooq) was admitted to bail in the (first) case, that the statements were hurriedly recorded, the veracity whereof to be tested at the time of trial,” the court said in its order dated December 11. “I refrain from commenting upon the manner in which the case diaries in the matter have been maintained, lest it may prejudice the case of the prosecution,” the judge said in his order.

Delhi riots: Bail to school owner, court says no evidence of PFI link https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-riots-bail-school-owner-pfi-link-6470209/  June 22, 2020 
Faisal Farooq, owner of Rajdhani Public School, was among eight people arrested in a case of rioting outside the school in the Shiv Vihar area on February 24. 

a Delhi court has observed that the police “chargesheet is bereft of material showing the links of applicant with PFI, Pinjra Tod group and Muslim clerics”.

The court also said “it is prima facie not established that the applicant was present at the spot at the time of incident”.

Wastage Of Tax-Payers' Money & Judicial Time : Court Raps Delhi Police Over 'Shoddy' Riots Case Probe -10 Quotes
By - Sparsh UpadhyayUpdate: 2021-09-03  https://www.livelaw.in/amp/top-stories/court-raps-delhi-police-over-shoddy-investigation-in-riots-cases-180831

"When history will look back at the worst communal riots since partition in Delhi, it is the failure of investigating agency to conduct a proper investigation by using the latest scientific methods, will surely torment the sentinels of democracy," observed Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav as the Court discharged three accused including Former AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain's brother Shah Alam, Rashid Saifi and Shadab.

Delhi Court Discharges Tahir Hussain's Brother Shah Alam And Two Others In Delhi Riot Case Citing Failure Of Investigating Agency To Conduct Proper Investigation https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/breaking-delhi-court-discharges-former-aap-councillor-tahir-hussains-brother-shah-alam-and-two-others-in-delhi-riot-case-180793 

Delhi Police Chargesheet Reads Like Script Of 'Family Man' Series; Communal Narrative Given To CAA Protests: Umar Khalid In Bail Hearing https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/umar-khalid-bail-hearing-delhi-riots-delhi-police-180832 Nupur Thapliyal 3 Sept 2021

"reads like a 9 PM new script of one of those shouting news-channels" and are reflective of the "fertile imagination" of the investigating officer, the lawyer argued.  This is the kind of stuff which is read and peddled, the creation of public opinion in order to substitute the lack of evidence to carry out your objective of unfairly prosecute people when you have no material to do so."

Delhi Riots : 'Home Minister is part of conspiracy!' I DELHI VIOLENCE I PRASHANT BHUSHAN I ASHUTOSH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sjcZtBIlo0   Sept 3, 2021

https://www.indiatoday.in/mood-of-the-nation-survey-august-2021 

 Support for Modi as 'Best Choice for PM' Falls from 66% to 24% in a Year, India Today Poll 16/AUG/2021  Finds https://thewire.in/government/narendra-modi-prime-minister-adityanath-india-today-poll
The triggering factors for this were inflation and the Union government's handling of the COVID-19 second wave. 

The magazine’s cover indicates that inflation and unemployment are top concerns of an Indian at this point. Within only a span of six months – from 17% in January 2021 – the number of people who think that the economy will “get worse” has grown to 32%.

Midweek Matters 28 || Parakala Prabhakar​ https://youtube.com/embed/0RJ2EwIheR8?start=80&end=472 
In this Episode Dr Parakala looks at the contrasting findings of surveys conducted by india Today (Mood of The Nation) and Morning Consult, and shows how they could help us understand BJP's present reluctance to engagement in Bengal, especially with regard to Bhabanipur by-election.   

Morning consult say PM approval 70per cent.. Not really reliable as sample size to small and restricted to literate and interviewed on line.  Link to the portal of Morning Consult: https://morningconsult.com/

Kisan Sansad: Can Farmers Become a Political Class? | Yogendra Yadav https://youtu.be/carytlWOjuw?t=217   Aug 17, 2021 

Devendra Sharma, Darshan Pal, , when a tractor user becomes PM, the approach and Narrative of development will change 

Yudhvir Singh: Those who have come to power have done so, because Kisan has also supported them,  Now the call from Farmers from all over will 

Jiginder Singh Ugraha: We have been able to people aware that these deicision have been made in favour of Corporate. Thus if not this government  the next govt will have to listen to the movement of people. this will bring about impact on politics of the country. 

Joginder Yadav: What did the movement achieve?  13 days of Kisaan Sansad had people from  arpound 3700 farmers from 20 states took part. 56 hours of discussions, and spoke about 6 laws in depth.  Bodes well for Democracy. 

Can this be apolitical?  If you consider politics as elections politics then the Sayukh Kiasn Morcha is not in politics. We have told people like in West Bangal that they should not to vote for people who are working against farmers.  If by politics we are talking about engaging with politics issues and not caring about how we are being ruled, or the decisions that you are taking, in this sens not just the Kasan Andolan but every other movement is an integral part of politics. To be apolitical in this sense means that you distance yourself from the nations future.  The Yug dharma in the current Yug is Politics. 

Will the farmers issue affect the Politics of the country? The andolan should change the arena of politics..  Will we go back to our identities of caste or religion or divisive politics at the time of voting? - This andolan has for the fist time raised the hope of Kisaan is not falling into the trap of divisive identity politics. 

A Question of Strategy – Farmers Stir and Its Foes in India https://countercurrents.org/2021/07/a-question-of-strategy-farmers-stir-and-its-foes/  — by Hiren Gohain — 25/07/2021

Farmers believe since their movement has solid support of farmers and workers in the states other than those directly involved... But.. the support is not as organised, watchful and militant . Hence.. a flurry of policy measures that take them by surprise .

In Assam..a new directive from the centre many farmers here who had received Rs.6000 in three instalments  will have to return the amount as they do not hold secure land Pattas...On retrospect (this move) may well have been a cold, calculating stratagem to find out the amount of land to be ultimately given away to corporates.For dispossessing farmers of their land is one of the priority aims of the disputed laws.

Reportedly, the state government has been asked not to buy foodgrains from farmers any more.  the state government has been asked not to buy foodgrains from farmers any more. 

Given these attacks, front farmers' leaders have got to find solutions in time to such problems behind the lines

Sukla Sen Comments: 

.. the aim of the three farm laws, taken together, is to corporatise (with Adani/Ambani very much in the lead) food/agricultural trade/sector and, on the way, dismantle the system of procurement, and also distribution (at discounted rates) to targeted groups, by the state.

..The ongoing fight is, no doubt, a historic one; in order to overwhelm the regime. However, it has to generate strong waves of support from amongst the wider public. That's not yet happening.
Maybe the way the common consumers are going to be hit remains to be adequately highlighted.

The regime has, as it appears, opted to tire out the agitation - avoiding spectacular use of coercive measures.  In fact the stir has already significantly receded from public discourse.

So, it's admittedly, a tough situation. Nevertheless, the agitation is still on. Just had a big event at the Jantar Mantar. When and how a spark turns into a prairie fire or a flame gets simply doused - leaving only ashes behind, is not too easy to predict. It has, apparently, its own mysterious dynamics.

Other Views: Unless, State government moves quickly to sort out the existing problems with the APMC and Agricultural System, the Centre needs to only bide its time, and allow the agricultural crisis to deepen.   The issues include exploitation by CAs, lower price realisation, lack of transparency in the trading process, collusion among traders, price cartelisation, delay in payments and low quality of mandi infrastructure.  If the farmers are to have a fighting chance against the juggernaut of Corporatism, they would have to install a modern a system of transparent real time comparative information on  price, production, commodity.. and innovative local systems of finance freed from the clutches of trader manipulation.

How farmers view the existing Mandi system https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2020/dec/12/how-farmers-view-the-existing-mandi-system-2235123.html 
12th December 2020 The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020. enabling the farmers to sell their produce directly to any traders outside the state government-controlled markets. Second, by facilitating the setting up of electronic agricultural trading platforms.
Kurnool and Kadapa regions in Andhra and Ammur and Denkanikottai in TN Study: Over half of the farmers we interacted with (57%) are unhappy with the mandi system of sale. While 43% are satisfied.

The reasons for unhappiness are exploitation by CAs, lower price realisation, lack of transparency in the trading process, collusion among traders, price cartelisation, delay in payments and low quality of mandi infrastructure.
Those satisfied with the mandi system are due to trust built over time with CAs and traders, reasonable price discovery and trust in government control.

This section of the farmers preferred to stay with the mandis due to difficulty in adjusting to a new system and fear of exploitation and low price realisation. Yet, they demanded an improvement in the efficiency of operation of mandis and prices offered there. These results suggest that farmers are somewhat divided on their choice of the mandi system of trade. So the government did the right thing by allowing the farmers to continue to sell their produce in mandis and providing alternative options to others.

Most farmers depend on CAs for credit, price information, transportation and storage. This suggests that farmers’ ability to take advantage of the new trading opportunities depends on the institutional conditions that control farm production. Therefore, the government needs to put complementary support mechanisms to empower the farmers and reduce their dependence on CAs for agricultural support services. Then, the goal of freeing up the farmers from the clutches of mandis would become easier to achieve.

For other articles on farmers agitation: http://emeets.lnwr.in/index.php/farmers-agitation-against-black-laws