Farmers Movement Archive

Sanyukt Kisan Morcha now threatens to turn Lucknow into protest site

LUCKNOW: After leading farmers’ protest against the new farm laws on Delhi borders, the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Monday announced it would hold demonstrations in UP and Uttarakhand where the state assembly elections are due next year. Addressing reporters in Lucknow, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said that the morcha would hold public meetings in all districts of UP in the run up to a `mahapanchayat’ which is scheduled to be convened in Muzaffarnagar on September 5. The BKU happens to be part of the SKM. The morcha functionaries categorically threatened to turn Lucknow into a protest site just like it did in case of Delhi. The farmers’ front raising the ante coincided with the completion of eight months of farmers’ protest against the three farm laws. Tikait accused the ruling BJP in UP of not purchasing wheat in promised quantity. He said that as against a production of 308 lakh tonnes, the UP government purchased only 56 lakh tonnes which was only 18% of the total. The state government, as a matter of fact, has been maintaining the wheat purchase made in 2021 was twice of what was done a year ago. “UP has often seen big agitations,” Tikait said, claiming that the ruling BJP in the state has been lending a cold shoulder to the plight of farmers. He said that while Rs 12,000 crore is due towards cane farmers, those in potato cultivation have been left financially dented. Yogendra Yadav of SKM said that the agitation of farmers has projected their political strength. He said that the Centre did not give the guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) which is a cause of concern for the poor farmer. The hard stance of SKM vis-à-vis UP and Uttarakhand is seen as a key indication of farmers’ body attempt of setting in motion its ‘mission UP’ to trouble the BJP which seeks to return to office after 2022 assembly elections. Tikait had on Sunday attacked the Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar for saying that the farm laws would not be repealed. Subsequently, a group of farmers from Meerut and Bijnor had reached UP gate.

The Times of India

2021-07-27

Lucknow