Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers won't budge from protest sites in Delhi until cases are withdrawn: SKM

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday announced farmers protesting against the three farm laws, which have now been repealed, will not move from the demonstration sites at the borders of Delhi until the Centre withdraws cases registered against them during the course of their agitation.The latest announcement came after the umbrella body of farmers’ unions held a meeting near the Singhu border between Haryana and Delhi to discuss the future course of the farmers' protests.Farmer leader Darshan Pal Singh, speaking to the ANI news agency, said leaders of all farmers' organisations have decided to not go back unless the cases against the farmers are withdrawn.“Today, a clear-cut signal has been sent out to the government that we are not going to back the agitation unless all cases against the farmers are taken back,” the news agency quoted the leader as saying.On Monday, a bill was passed in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament to repeal the three contentious agriculture laws, one of the main demands of the protesting farmers.However, the stalemate continues with protesters pressing for other pending demands – which include a law guaranteeing minimum selling price (MSP), an amount of money as compensation to the families of farmers who died during the stir and the withdrawal of cases against the protesters.The SKM, which spearheaded the protests against the controversial farm laws, has now formed a five-member panel for carrying out dialogue with the central government on the rest of their demands.Farmer leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal, Ashok Dhawle, Shiv Kumar Kakka, Gurnam Singh Chaduni, and Yudhvir Singh were named the members of the committee.According to Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait, the next meeting of the SKM will take place at 11am on December 7, where they will further deliberate upon the future course of the movement.Farmer leader and SKM member Ashok Dhawle told PTI that the issues such as the compensation for martyred farmers, “false cases” lodged against farmers, and even the Lakhimpur Kheri violence were discussed in the meeting.

Hindustan Times

04-12-2021

India