Farmers Movement Archive

Punjab: Farmer unions in poll fray no longer part of front, says SKM

BATHINDA: The farmer unions contesting the Punjab assembly polls will no longer be part of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body that spearheaded the agitation against the now-repealed agri laws said on Saturday. It has decided to distance itself completely from the farmer groups contesting the state assembly elections under the banner of Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) for four months, after which it will take a fresh call on whether to take them along or not. “We have no issues with farmer groups forming a political party called Sanyukt Samaj Morcha, but we will not keep any ties with them. We have given no call to oppose them, but whatever we do with other political parties could be done to them (keeping a distance). Any further decision will be taken after four months,” said farmer leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan. The SKM also gave a call for relaunch Mission UP from February 1, if the Centre fails to proceed beyond mere assurances on setting up a committee for minimum support price (MSP) and withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during the protests against the now repealed three agri-marketing laws. It also decided to hold protests at district and subdivision level across the country on January 31 as part of Vada Khilafi (breach of promise) Divas. Farm leaders Rakesh Tikait and Yudhvir Singh said, “We have been waiting for the government response for over a month, but it has done nothing on the remaining issues. We will wait till January 31 and resume Mission UP thereafter. Before that, we will visit Lakhimpur Kheri for three days, from January 21, to stand by the victims’ families. The government does not seem to be with farmers.” KMSC To Relaunch AgitationAccusing the Union government of not keeping its word on forming a committee for deciding the minimum support price (MSP) issue and withdrawing cases against farmers, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) has decided to relaunch the agitation by ensuring a big gathering at Jandiala Guru on January 26. KMSC claimed that the central government had “forgotten its word it had given to ensure no disruption of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at Ferozepur.

The Times of India

2022-01-16

Amritsar