SKM urges farmers to continue struggle till all demands are met
Darpan News Desk IANS, 17 Nov, 2022 12:58 PM
New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS) Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Thursday exhorted the farmers to join the nationwide "March to Raj Bhawans" programmes and submit a memorandum to the President through the respective Governors on November 26.
Earlier, on November 14, SKM's National Council held a meeting at Gurudwara Rakabganj and strongly condemned the Modi government for betraying the farmers by not implementing the written assurances made on December 9, 2021 for legally guaranteed MSP, withdrawal of the Electricity Bill, among other demands.
The meeting resolved to advise all constituent organisations to be prepared to further intensify the struggle across the country.
"March to Raj Bhawans" marks the beginning of the next phase of the farmers protest.
Also, it appealed to farmers across the country to join continuous and committed nationwide struggles till all the demands including "Karz Mukti - Poora Daam" (Freedom from Indebtedness and Full Remunerative Price) are fulfilled by the government.
Legally guaranteed MSP for all crops and freedom from indebtedness are the major demands for which the farmers have been fighting since the rollout of neo-liberal policies that aggravated the agrarian crisis and peasant suicides.
Since 1995, more than 4 lakh farmers have died by suicide in India and around 68 per cent of the peasant households are in debt and financial distress. These demands, along with the demands of repeal of three pro-corporate Farm Laws and the Electricity Bill 2020, led to the year-long historic farmers' movement at the Delhi borders from November 26, 2020, which was actively supported by nearly all sections of the working people in India.
Farmers' demands also include withdrawal of Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, dismissal and legal action against Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni who is accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre of farmers, and a journalist, besides a comprehensive and effective Crop Insurance Scheme to speedily compensate farmers for crop loss due to natural calamities among others.
The morcha held a press conference this afternoon which was addressed by Darshan Pal, Hannan Mollah, Yudhvir Singh, Avik Saha and Ashok Dhawale. The next meeting is scheduled on December 8 in Karnal where the next phase of the movement will be decided and announced.
The local people and Bishal's family members claimed that he was found with multiple wounds on Wednesday. It is alleged that Bishal was killed for not agreeing to convert to Christianity in order to marry his tribal girlfriend. Though the police are yet to confirm whether the youth was killed or committed suicide, they have arrested five people in connection with the case.
According to a source with the Ministry, the diplomats see it as a question of credibility and said that such tall claims should be avoided as it hurts the credibility of the country and the government too. The source said that it has left the diplomats embarrassed.
During the intervening night of September 13 and 14, on a specific intelligence input, the ICG strategically deployed two fast interceptor class of ships, C-408 and C-454 for patrolling in areas close to the IMBL. During midnight, the Pakistani boat was observed moving suspiciously in Indian waters, 5 nm inside notional IMBL and 40 nm from Jakhau.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal said on Wednesday that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab is raking up the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan cases purely to divert people's attention from its 'scandals'. The SAD chief, who was questioned by the SIT regarding the Kotkapura firing case which occurred in 2015, said all police actions are part of a laid down procedure.
Earlier in the day amid allegations of the BJP attempting to bring down the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, the AAP said it has filed a formal complaint, along with all proof, with Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav for a fair probe into threats and money offers to its legislators.
The G20 Leaders' Summit at the level of Heads of State Government is scheduled to be held on September 9-10, 2023 in New Delhi, said the Ministry statement. The G20 is an inter-governmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies.
