Samyukta Kisan Morcha gives call for nation-wide struggle
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella organisation of Indian farmers' unions, Thursday gave a call for nationwide "March to Raj Bhawans" programme on November 26 and asked farmers to submit a memorandum to the President through the respective Governors, alleging breach of assurance by the Centre on farmers' pending demands
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella organisation of Indian farmers' unions, Thursday gave a call for nationwide "March to Raj Bhawans" programme on November 26 and asked farmers to submit a memorandum to the President through the respective Governors, alleging breach of assurance by the Centre on farmers' pending demands.
The Morcha, which had spearheaded the agitation against the new farm laws later repealed by the Centre, has called a meeting on December 8 to decide the future course of its movement and advised all constituent organisations to be prepared to further intensify the struggle across the country.
The farmers will also celebrate November 19 as "Fateh Diwas" or "Victory Day" as the Centre had ordered the repeal of the new farm laws following their agitation on this date last year.
"Marches to offices of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs of all political parties will be held from December 1 to 11," SKM leader Darshan Pal said at a press conference in Delhi.
The press conference was addressed by Darshan Pal, Hannan Mollah, Yudhvir Singh, Avik Saha and Ashok Dhawale.
The SKM expressed disappointment at the Union government and accused the Centre of completely reneging on the written promises made to the farmers when the protest was lifted on December 9.
The farmers' body claimed that neither the committee on Minimum Support Price had been formed nor the "false" cases registered against farmers during the agitation were withdrawn.
It also accused the government of not being ready to consider the biggest demand of the farmers -- a legal guarantee on MSP.
The SKM appealed to farmers across the country to join continuous and committed nationwide struggles till all the demands including "Karz Mukti - Poora Daam" (Freedom from Indebtedness and Full Remunerative Price) are fulfilled by the government.
Legally guaranteed MSP for all crops and freedom from indebtedness are the major demands for which the farmers have been fighting since the rollout of neo-liberal policies that aggravated the agrarian crisis and peasant suicides.
Since 1995, more than 4 lakh farmers have committed suicide in India and around 68 per cent of the peasant households are in debt and financial distress, SKM leaders claimed.
These demands, along with the demands of repeal of three pro-corporate Farm Laws and the Electricity Bill 2020, had led to the year-long historic farmers' movement at the Delhi borders from November 26, 2020, which was actively supported by nearly all sections of the working people in India.
The farmers' demands also include withdrawal of Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, dismissal and legal action against Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni, who is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre of farmers, and a journalist, besides a comprehensive and effective Crop Insurance Scheme to speedily compensate farmers for crop loss due to natural calamities among others.
The SKM condemned the BJP-led Modi Government’s "hurried attempt to clear GM-Mustard seeds to facilitate corporate profiteering through seed monopoly, without adequate scientific research on the impact on environment, nature and on life of humans and livestock".
The Morcha thanked the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions for their continued support and solidarity to the farmers' struggle, and appealed to it to come forward and support the ongoing struggles.
