Farm unions end meet with MSP law demand
NEW DELHI: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions, concluded its meeting on Sunday at the Singhu border of the national capital, Delhi, where it discussed the future course of action on farmers’ protests, besides reiterating their demands for a law on minimum support price (MSP) and removal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, who is connected to the violence that erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur –Kheri in October, that left eight dead.
The meeting comes in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on Friday last, declaring that his government will withdraw the controversial agriculture laws that prompted yearlong
protests from tens of thousands of farmers and posed a significant political challenge to the administration.
However, even though the controversial farm laws were on their way out, the protesting farmers said that the demonstrations would continue until Parliament repealed the three contentious legislation.
Farmer leaders have been
maintaining that the protesters will stay put at border areas of Delhi until the Centre formally repeals these laws in Parliament, and have indicated their stir for a statutory guarantee of MSP and withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill will continue, besides withdrawal of cases registered against some of the protesting farmers.
The farmers are also demanding compensation for the farmers who lost their lives during farmers’ protests and the withdrawal of cases registered against them.
Besides, the SKM will also be holding a mahapanchayat in UP’s Lucknow on Monday in a show of strength days after the Prime Minister’s announcement of repealing the three farm laws.
The gathering scheduled to be held at Eco Garden in the city was planned several months before Friday’s announcement.
In a tweet in Hindi on Sunday, Bhartiya Kisan Union national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said, “Chalo Lucknow Chalo Lucknow (lets go to Lucknow) for MSP Adhikaar Kisaan Mahapanchayat. The agriculture reforms being talked about are fake and cos
metic. The farm reforms are not going to stop the plight of the farmers. The biggest reform for the farmers and agriculture will be to make a law pertaining to the MSP.”
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) will hold another meeting on November 27 to decide future course of action, while the planned march to Parliament by farmers on November 29 will go ahead as per schedule, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said on Sunday. Addressing a press conference at Singhu border following a meeting, Rajewal said, “We discussed the repeal of farm laws. After this, some decisions were taken. The SKM’s pre-decided programs will continue as it is. Kisan panchayat will be held in Lucknow on November 22, gatherings at all borders on November 26 and march to Parliament on November 29”.
Farmer leaders have been maintaining that the protesters will stay put at border areas of Delhi until the Centre formally repeals these laws in Parliament after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise announcement on Friday and have indicated their stir for a statutory guarantee of the MSP and withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill will continue.