CHANDIGARH: Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will hold a nationwide protest on March 21 against the Central government for not fulfilling its promises, including setting up of a panel on MSP and withdrawal of cases against farmers and its functionaries.
Also, SKM leaders will give a memorandum to the Punjab Governor on March 25 on the issue of change in rules for appointment of top officers in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) by the Central government.
The decison was taken at a meeting in New Delhi’s Gandhi Peace Foundation.
Senior SKM leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal said, “There has been no progress in fulfilling the promises made by the Centre to farmers on the issue of forming a panel on MSP to make a legislation on it, withdrawal of cases against farmers and expulsion of Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni from the cabinet. The SKM has decided to hold a nationwide protest at district and block levels on March 21 against the Central government for not-fulfilling promises.’’
The SKM, an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, spearheaded a year-long agitation against the three farm laws. It had suspended the stir on December 9 last year, after the government revoked the contentious laws and agreed to consider its six other demands.
“It was unanimously decided that between April 11 to 17, a nationwide campaign would be launched by observing MSP Legal Guarantee Week. During this week, all the constituent organisations of the SKM will hold demonstrations and seminars, demanding legal guarantee of MSP as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission,” said Lakhowal.
“We reviewed the written assurances given by the Central government and found that after three months, the government has not acted upon its key assurances.”
‘Nothing done in three months’
The SKM says that even after three months, the Central government has not acted on forming a panel on MSP, nor has it withdrawn cases against farmers and union leaders