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The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday called the farmers across India to hold mass protests against the Members of Parliament (MPs) of the BJP and NDA. The farmer’s body demanded implementation of the Centre’s agreement with SKM signed on 9 December 2021 which included demands like MSP at C2+50% with guaranteed procurement, comprehensive loan waiver, no privatization of electricity, and action against the accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
In Punjab, the SKM has decided to launch a day and night mass protest in front of the houses of MPs, MLAs, Ministers, and district presidents of BJP for 3 days. The farmer’s body said that the agitation will begin at 10:00 AM on 20th February and end at 5:00 PM on 22nd February.
Welcomes Supreme Court’s decision on Electoral Bonds
SKM also welcomed the recent Supreme Court verdict striking down the Electoral Bond scheme as “unconstitutional.” “SKM strongly condemned the Modi Government for legalizing corruption through electoral bonds and piling up thousands of crores of rupees as party funds. SKM welcomed the verdict of the Supreme Court to strike down the same,” a release by the farmers body said.
Notably, Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which spearheaded the 2021 farmers protest didn’t participate in the ‘Delhi Chalo’ protests launched on February 13. The fresh protests were launched by a breakaway faction of SKM, which named itself SKM (non-political) and is currently meeting with the central ministers to strike a compromise.
While targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Government, SKM specified decisions that affected the farmers. “SKM alleged the pro-corporate Farm Laws, Labour Codes, Electricity Act Amendments, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in which Insurance companies have amassed over ₹57,000 crores at the expense of farmers, pre-paid Smart Meters, sale of profit-making Public Sector Undertakings, privatization of airports and ports, a host of such legislations and policies are all favors returned to its corporate cronies,” the release added.
SKM goes all-out against BJP
Apart from the farmers’ demands, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha attacked the BJP on various other issues like toppling democratically elected governments, legalizing corruption, doubts against Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), etc.
“The BJP had accumulated thousands of crores by legalizing corruption, deployed it for toppling democratically elected governments as well as influencing elections through massive propaganda, impossible to match for any other political party,” it said.
“SKM hopes that this verdict will also spur a movement to clear doubts over the EVM by making it a fool-proof mechanism. Along with election funding, this is also an important issue that matters for ensuring the credibility of elections and governance. SKM demands that the list of donors and the amount accrued to BJP and other Parties must be made public and should be recovered from them,” the farmers’ body added.
The farmers’ body will meet in New Delhi on February 22 to take stock of the situation and decide future plans of action to intensify the ongoing struggle.
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Published: 18 Feb 2024, 07:56 PM IST
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