Samyukt Kisan Morcha announces plans to intensify farmers' protest

After a meeting at the Singhu Border, leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday announced the decisions they have taken to intensify their agitation.

In a press release, the SKM said it will send a letter to opposition parties on July 17 to ensure that the Parliament's monsoon session is used to support the farmers' struggle. Only July 22, five members from each organisation and at least 200 protestors per day will protest outside Parliament.

It was also announced by the Punjab unions that given that the situation has improved slightly with regard to the supply of electricity in the state, the earlier-announced program of gherao of 'Moti Mahal' of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will be postponed for now. In the previous meeting of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, it has already been decided that there will be country-wide protests between 10 am and 12 noon on July 8, 2021, against rising costs of essential commodities like diesel and cooking gas.

Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal were part of eleven rounds of formal talks with Samyukt Kisan Morcha representatives in the months of December 2020 and January 2021.

The Ministers have been stating that the government is ready for talks, provided that the farmers are ready to discuss provisions that they have problems with. The Ministers are also stating that the government will not repeal the 3 farm laws. Farmers have stated why amendments will not work.

SKM said the farm laws have been brought in unconstitutionally and undemocratically. The Central Government has ventured into areas where it has no constitutional authority, the release added. To worsen matters, it also followed undemocratic procedures to thrust the laws on the nation's farmers. All of this is unacceptable, and therefore, farmers are firm on their repeal demand. On the other hand, the government has so far not given a single reason as to why these laws cannot and should not be repealed, it said. "We can only conclude that an elected government in the world's largest democracy is playing ego-games with the largest section of its citizens, farmers. And is preferring to choose the interests of crony capitalists over the 'annadaatas' of the country," the release added.

The release said local support has been strong and consistent for the farmers' movement at all borders. There is a large tractor convoy being planned from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh. More farmers are reaching the protest sites, just as more material supplies are being donated by local communities. From Jind, a large quantity of wheat has been received from villagers.

It is not just farmers who are joining, but other workers associated with trade unions, students, lawyers, and others. In Punjab, solidarity protests being organised in the evenings by youth groups in various urban centres at traffic intersections has become a regular sight in various towns and cities, the release said.

The protests are powered by the peaceful resolve of extraordinary citizens, the release said. At Ghazipur Border, Swaran Singh from Madanpur village of Bulandshahr district has been around for seven months now, protesting peacefully and determinedly. He is 101 years of age!

( With inputs from ANI )

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