CHANDIGARH: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which led the 2020-21 farmers' protest, today issued a call for unity at its Mahapanchayat in Moga. It urged all farmers' unions across the country, particularly in Punjab, to unite on a single platform to challenge the central government.
Their fight centres on demands for a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, debt waivers, and other key issues. On Republic Day (January 26) tractor march will be taken out across Punjab and on January 13 copies of the draft of the national agriculture marketing policy will be burnt.
A six-member delegation of SKM along with a 101 farmers jatha will go to the Khanauri border to meet the leadership of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Morcha and Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) on Friday to give a message to come together.
Farmers started reaching the Mahapanchayat in Moga's grain market on tractor-trolleys, buses, cars and other means of transport since morning. Due to the large crowd the organisers had to open up the pandal to accomodate all the participants.
Talking with the TNIE senior SKM leader Prem Singh Bhanghu said, "The SKM today in its rally at Moga has given a clarion call to all the farmer forms/unions across the country to come on one platform and be united to launch a united fight against the pro-corporate and anti farmer policies of the union government. The law on legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and debt waiver are the common demands of the farmers across the country and they cannot be achieved without wider mobilization and sustained struggle. ‘’
" Thus today from our platform at Moga rally we have appealed to all the farmer forms in Punjab that we should get united and not fight separately on the same issues. A six-member committee of the SKM will go to the Khanauri border tomorrow along with 101 farmers jatha (gropu) to give the message of unity to these both forms Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Morcha and Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political),’’ he said.
Bhangu further said, " It was also decided today that on January 13 the draft copies of national agriculture marketing policy issued by the centre to the state government will be burnt at sub-divisional level across the state and further on January 26 a tractor march will be taken out across Punjab to pressurize the central government to initiate immediate talks with agitating farmers so that the life of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal could be saved.’’
"This national agriculture marketing policy is the new form of already three repealed farms laws to help corporate sector. We have also asked the state government to reject this policy in the state assembly,’’ he said. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) chief and senior SKM leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal said," All the AAP MPs, MLAs, cabinet ministers besides the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should take time from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and meet him on the farmers demands if the PM does not give time then they should give dharna in Delhi. ‘’
" As the Supreme Court is hearing the issue to save the life of farmer leader Dallewal it should give directions to the union government to accept the demands of the farmers which it has already agreed upon, also the president should give us the time to meet her and explain our position,’’ he said.
The prominent leaders who spoke at this Mahapanchayat were Joginder Singh Ugrahan president of BKU (Ekta-Urrhan), Balbir Singh Rajewal chief of BKU (Rajewal), Harinder Singh Lakhowal of BKU (Lakhowal), Rakesh Tikait spokesman of BKU, Harmeet Singh Kaidian of BKU (Kadian) besides others.
The farmer leaders said that the standing committee of the Parliament has conveniently forgotten the Swaminathan Committee recommendations and has made incomplete recommendations on MSP and procurement guarantees. SKM has rejected these recommendations and has said they are prepared for a long drawn agitation for the MSP demand.
SKM shall hold its National Council Meeting in Delhi on January 24 and 25 to chalk out its future programs.