Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the body of farmers, has announced that it will recommence its agitation with regard to its unfulfilled demands including MSP guaranteeing legislation and loan waiver and submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
The SKM made this announcement on July 11 after a meeting by the general body on 10th but cautioned that this time round the march might not be up to Delhi as was the case then.
They told journalists during a press conference that appointments between July 16-18 would be sought so as to meet both PM, congress leader, leaders in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha including them all giving a memo specifying farmer’s needs.
The SKM also demanded memorials at Tikri and Singhu borders in Delhi, where protesters lived for over one year during their protest demanding for compensation of Lakhimpur Kheri victims who died in 2021 in Uttar Pradesh while protesting there.
A press conference asked if they were going to march again to Delhi. They replied by saying they are focusing on nation-wide agitations particularly those bound for assembly elections like Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Jammu Kashmir and Haryana.
“There is no need for using similar methods of protests at every instance; we shall conduct country wide demonstrations,” said Hannan Mollah, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) who attended the general body meeting.
Budget In Focus: Farmers Need Higher MSPs; Loan Waivers And Crop Insurance
According to SKM leaders, BJP suffered losses in 159 rural dominated parliamentary constituencies across different Indian states during recent LokSabha elections due to farmers’ movement.
“The general body has decided to resume the agitation demanding implementation of the agreement dated December 9th, 2021 between union government with SKM signed by secretary agriculture department Government of India and other key demands affecting livelihood of farmers,” a statement by SKM said, after the presser.
Avik Saha, Prem Chand Gehlawat, P Krishnaprasad, Dr Sunilam, Yudhvir Singh and R. Venkaiya are other farmer leaders who also talked to newsmen besides Mollah.
As part of resumption of agitation, they will seek appointments with Mr. Gandhi or Mr. Modi and MPs of RS & LA on 16th, 17th or 18th July to submit memorandum.
SKM has announced that it will observe “Quit India Day” as “Corporates Quit India Day” by organizing demonstrations throughout the country on August 9 in support of their demands.
The SKM insists that any multinational corporation should not be permitted entry into agriculture and that India must come out of World Trade Organization (WTO).
On August 17th, three hour protests would take place in front of the residences of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann his ministers in Punjab over issues such as water crisis; debt burden; opening up India Pakistan trade via road corridors; and federal demands for granting statehood against policy centralization power resources by NDA led Modi government at Delhi.
On that very date i.e., August 17th itself SKM’s Punjab unit would hold seminars in all the states on water crisis and climate change related to agriculture subject matters.
The farmers’ demands include a minimum support price (MSP) which is legally guaranteed, procurement for all crops based on C2+50% formula, no privatisation of the power sector and no introduction of prepaid smart meters, compensation to all families who lost their lives during the farmer’s movement and withdrawal of all cases related to farmer agitation.
Their demands also include comprehensive insurance coverage for all crops, monthly pension of ₹10,000 to each farmer and agricultural worker as well as implementation of the 2013 land acquisition law.
“The general body meeting strongly condemned the anti-farmer government of the NDA for violating agreement made after supreme sacrifices of 736 martyrs and sufferings of lakhs of farmers who participated in this movement for 384 days – 26th November, 2020 to 11th December, 2021 – at Delhi borders,” said SKM in its statement.
In making its claim that BJP had been defeated in rural-dominated Lok Sabha seats, SKM added: “The defeat of BJP in thirty-eight rural seats from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra and the defeat of then Union ministers Ajay Mishra Teni in Lakhimpur Kheri UP and Arjun Munda (agriculture minister) in Khunti Jharkhand are indicative…the BJP has lost in one hundred fifty nine constituencies dominated by villages.”
The violence happened on October 3rd last year at Lakhimpur Kheri during which four farmers along with a journalist among other four people were killed following an SUV belonging to Ashish Mishra son to Ajay Mishra hitting a crowd. Three BJP workers were lynched.
They said: “In the forthcoming assembly elections, Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand & Jammu & Kashmir state coordination committees will convene their meetings & carry out independent massive campaigns among peasants based on the SKM’s demands to expose, oppose and punish BJP in the upcoming assembly elections.”
Beyond this, the SKM has demanded a separate budget for agriculture, abolition of department of cooperation in Union government and no GST on agricultural inputs.
