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From June 1 to 10, no supplies to cities from villages as farmers observe Gaon Bandh Mahotsav

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From June 1 to 10, no supplies to cities from villages as farmers observe Gaon Bandh Mahotsav

City dwellers in north Indian states had better stock up on supplies of vegetables, milk, etc, for these may be in short supply, if not simply unavailable, from June 1 (Friday) for the next 10 days.

Adopting a new form of protest to highlight their issues and press for their demands, farmers have decided to observe a ‘Gaon Bandh Mahotsav’, a 10-day shutdown of villages beginning June 1, during which they will neither supply farm and village produce to cities, nor buy anything from cities. They will not go to mandis and sell their produce themselves in village itself. City dwellers can go and buy farm produce from villages if they want.

It is a protest that effectively portrays the divide between the rural India and urban India and accentuates the importance given to cities and city dwellers over the villages and villagers.

“It is not a strike as such,” said the coordinator of Kisan Ekta Manch Devinder Sharma, “the farmers are simply taking a holiday like others do – why can’t farmers take a holiday?” He said the Gaon bandh will be held in all states of north and central India.

The issues the farmers are pressing for are minimum assured income of Rs.18,000 per month for every agriculturist’s family, implementation of Swaminathan Commission’s report, a price for their produce that gives them 50% more than the total weighted cost of production and waiver of all loans.

Several farmers’ organisation of different states have come together for this agitation on the calll of Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, an umbrella body of over 100 farmers organisations.

Farmers are enthused over this new form of agitation and are more confident over its prospects as they see this as more effective than dharnas and rallies which they used to resort to till now.

Farmer leaders said the villages would not supply anything to cities nor go to cities to buy anything. If the city dwellers need to buy vegetables or milk or any farm produce, they would have to go to the villages, they said.

The farmers have made plans to make good use of all produce that cannot be stocked for over 10 days.

A report in The Times of India quoted a farmer leader from Harda district of Madhya Pradesh: “There are over one lakh farmers in our district, and almost all of us will be participating in this protest. For us, the fact that our produce now fetches only half the price we expected is a bigger problem that planning what to do for 10 days, when we will be boycotting the urban mandis. We have a number of diary farms, and the plan is to make ghee, khoa and mava. There is a big demand for ghee these days. We will also allow calves to drink from the cows, which we usually do not allow. We also plan on barter – dairy farmers will offer milk in return for vegetables from people who grow vegetables. We usually sell our best produce and eat what we think is inferior. We look forward now to keeping the best produce for ourselves.”

A farmer from Punjab was quoted as saying: “We are planning to set up haats in rural areas, so that produce can be sold without going to mandis in urban centres. For milk, we plan to make ghee. We will also increase free distribution of milk to orphanages and other centres in that time. Our plan is not to sell produce in urban centres, and not to buy anything either from the cities.”

The plan for this form of agitation was announced on April 30 when farmers from across the country representing over 100 farmer organizations had gathered in Delhi. Former BJP Union minister Yashwant Sinha too is part of this programme.

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

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India News

DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

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Rahul-Gandhi

The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

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Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

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Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

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