SSM not transferring funds collected during stir: SKM
The ₹ 1.5 crore funds, among other things, are meant for providing compensation to the kin of the farmers who died during the farmers’ agitation in Delhi
LUDHIANA: Amid emerging differences between the two farmers’ groups, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday accused Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) of delaying the transfer of around ₹ 1.5 crore collected during farmers’ agitation in Delhi to it.
The SKM leaders said that those funds were meant for providing compensation to the kin of the farmers who died during the agitation and provide financial assistance to the farmers’ unions struggling for the rights of peasants in the country.
The matter came up during a meeting between the sevenmember national level committee of SKM and members of over 20 farmers’ unions of Punjab at a Gurdwara in BRS Nagar.
Senior leaders of SKM, including Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Harinder Singh Lakhowal among others participated in the meeting, which was organised to discuss the issues emerging between the farmers’ unions after a group of farmer leaders formed SSM and contested the Punjab assembly elections.
When questioned about the delay in providing compensation to the kin of over 700 deceased farmers as announced by the SKM in the past, farmer leader Dallewal stated that SSM has not yet transferred the funds collected during the farmers’ agitation in Delhi to SKM.
“During a press briefing held in the past, SSM leader admitted that out of the total funds collected during the agitation, around ₹ 1.5 crore is with SSM. We have been demanding that the funds should be returned to SKM, but it has not yet been done,” Dallewal said.
Despite several attempts SSM president Balbir Rajewal did not respond to phone calls.
Before the meeting, Tikait also stated that farmers should not have formed a political outfit.
The meeting also deliberated upon the preparations for organising a national level meeting of farmers’ unions from across the country in Delhi on June 8. The meeting is being held to pressurise the government to fulfil the pending demands, including justice for farmers killed in Lakhimpur Kheri and MSP on crops.
‘Don’t harass small farmers to free panchayat land’
The farmers’ unions from Punjab accused the state government of harassing small farmers during its ongoing drive to free panchayat land from encroachments across the state.
Lakhowal stated that the state government had assured that small farmers, who have been involved in farming at the panchayat land for decades, will not be removed from the site.