Farmers Movement Archive

On Day 3 of West Bengal tour, SKM leaders reach Singur

BATHINDA: Sankyuta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders on Sunday reached Singur in Hooghly district of West Bengal to urge electors to vote against the BJP in the upcoming assembly elections in the state. In 2008-09, Singur was the place of a face-off between farmers and the then CPIM government. SKM leaders, at a mahapanchayat oganised in Singur on Sunday, reiterated that the fight to save their land could be won only by defeating BJP. Punjab farm leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, Gurnam Singh Charuni of Haryana, Narmada Bachao Andolan founder member Medha Patkar and many other farm leaders appealed to farmers to fight to safeguard their land rights and remunerative prices for crops. Farm leader Rakesh Tikait was not present as he had rushed to Prayagraj. In Nandigram, farmers had protested against acquisition of 10,000 acres for a special economic zone (SEZ) in 2007. In police action during the protests, 14 farmers were killed in firing. Rajewal said they had not reached the venue to play politics. He said though accusations were being levelled on them, they were ony speaking in the interest of farmers and farm labourers. “We are here to engage in a fight to save the country from being handed over to corporates as the central government is indulging in this. Farmers will have to pay a heavy price for this privatisation and corporatisation of various sectors, including agriculture. We are here to save our lands from corporates, and Nandigram and Singhu give us hope,” he said. Patklar said corporates were eyeing not only lands of farmers, but a bigger share in agriculture sector and two top corporates of the country were turning into zamidars (landlords) to carry out the business in agriculture sector.

The Times of India

2021-03-15

Amritsar