CHANDIGARH: Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella organization of all the farmers' unions that spearheaded the 2021 farmers' protest, has written to President Droupadi Murmu seeking an appointment with her to discuss the farmers demands. SKM intends to appraise the current situation and request her to direct the central government to hold talks with the farmers.
This development has taken place amid ongoing farmers’ protests 2.0 and an indefinite hunger strike by farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal which entered the 31st day.
Senior SKM leader Prem Singh Bhangu said farmers wanted to address the situation surrounding Dallewal’s fast-upto-death and other pressing issues including the introduction of a National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing.
The letter, dated December 25, states that, "A delegation of SKM requests an appointment with you at your earliest convenience to share our concerns about the precarious situation and the growing unrest among farmers across the country."
Bhangu further said that farmers from over 500 districts had submitted memoranda to the President through district magistrates, urging her urgent intervention to facilitate discussions between the Union Government and all farmer organizations on the long-standing demands.
"We held a meeting recently in which all the farmer leaders took strict note of the model draft of the National Agricultural Marketing Policy sent to the states by the central government and termed it as a new form to implement the three repealed farm laws as it was also decided to organize a conference in Moga on January 9 in this regard," he said.
The 70-year-old Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border since November 26, calling on the Centre to address the farmers’ demands including a legally binding minimum support price for crops.
According to doctors attending to him, he is only consuming water and his condition is critical. Farmers, under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, after their march to Delhi was blocked by security forces.
A ‘jatha’ (group) of 101 farmers attempted to march to Delhi on foot three times between December 6 and 14 but were stopped by Haryana Police. In addition to a legal guarantee for MSP, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm laborers, no hike in electricity tariffs, the withdrawal of police cases, and 'justice' for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.