New Delhi (The Hawk): On Thursday, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) urged farmers to participate in the national "March to Raj Bhawans" campaigns and deliver a memorandum to the President on November 26 through their respective Governors.
The SKM National Council met earlier on November 14 at Gurudwara Rakabganj and strongly denounced the Modi government for betraying the farmers by failing to carry out the written promises made on December 9, 2021, including the withdrawal of the Electricity Bill and a legally guaranteed MSP, among other demands.
The gathering decided to advise all participating organisations to be ready to step up the fight nationwide.
The farmers' protest has entered its next phase with the "March to Raj Bhawans."
Additionally, it urged farmers all over the nation to participate in ongoing, committed national struggles until the government complies with all demands, including "Karz Mukti - Poora Daam" (Freedom from Indebtedness and Full Remunerative Price).
Since the implementation of neo-liberal policies that exacerbated the agrarian crisis and peasant suicides, farmers have been fighting for two major demands: legally guaranteed MSP for all crops and freedom from debt.
In India, more than 4 lakh farmers have committed suicide since 1995, and 68% of peasant households are in debt or other financial difficulty. These demands, along with those for the repeal of three farm laws that favoured corporations and the Electricity Bill 2020, sparked a year-long historic farmers' movement at the Delhi borders beginning on November 26, 2020, which received active support from almost all groups of Indian workers.
The withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, legal action against the accused Lakhimpur Kheri farmer and journalist Ajay Mishra Teni, dismissal from his position as Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, and a comprehensive and efficient crop insurance programme are among the other demands made by farmers.
This afternoon, the morcha held a press conference at which Darshan Pal, Hannan Mollah, Yudhvir Singh, Avik Saha, and Ashok Dhawale spoke. The following meeting, where the movement's next phase will be decided and announced, is scheduled for December 8 in Karnal.
(Inputs from Agencies)