Farmers Movement Archive

Sanyukt Kisan Morcha to hold mahapanchayats in poll-bound Bengal, first rally in Kolkata on March 12

AGRA: Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a forum representing at least 40 farmers’ unions, will hold five back-to-back mahapanchayats in poll- bound West Bengal starting with Kolkata to highlight the “pro-corporate agenda” of the central government. The rallies will be held in coordination with West Bengal Kisan Coordination Committee in Kolkata, Nandigram, Singur and Asansol. BKU leader Rakesh Tikait and outfit’s general secretary Yudhvir Singh will lead the mahapanchayat in Kolkata on March 13. SKM leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal, Gurnam Singh Chaduni, Darshan Pal, Manjit Singh, Himanshu Tiwari, Avik Saha and Yogendra Yadav will also take part in the mahapanchayats. Yudhvir Singh told TOI, “Farmers in West Bengal are also facing several problems. Their issues should find a way in the manifestos of political parties who intend to come to power. Farmers in that state also are not getting appropriate prices for their crops, while those involved in fisheries are also facing problems. We will update farmers about the pro-corporate agenda of BJP behind introducing the three laws and will urge them to vote for candidates of any other party,” he said. “We will campaign against BJP candidates, requesting people of West Bengal to vote for any political party except the BJP. The central government will have to withdraw the farm laws and provide legal guarantee of MSP to the farmers," he added. In West Bengal, polling to 294 assembly seats will be held in eight phases starting March 27 to April 29. Senior farmer leader from West Bengal and secretary of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, Avik Saha said, “In West Bengal, 90% farmers are small harvesters. They feel connected with the ongoing agitation at Delhi borders. Farmers in West Bengal strongly believe that the new laws will undermine their livelihood and open the path for the corporate sector to dominate agriculture.” “Our teams are going to villages to strengthen the farmers’ protest and are getting overwhelming support. We are delivering handwritten letters of farmers from northern India to tillers in each constituency of West Bengal. Most of these letters highlight reasons not to vote for BJP. Thousands of farmers from across the state will participate in the kisan mahapanchayats to mark their protest against the anti-farmer policies of the Modi government,” Saha said.

The Times of India

2021-03-10

Agra