The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Sunday announced a series of nationwide protests from May till November, peaking between August 1 and 15, to press its demands for legally guaranteed minimum support prices, farmer pensions and a comprehensive crop insurance scheme.
The decision was taken on Sunday at a national meeting of the Morcha, an umbrella organisation of farmer unions that had spearheaded the yearlong farmer agitation of 2020-21.
Agitations will be held in all the states and Union territories from May 26 to May 31, the Morcha said.
“This will include leading large protest marches to all members of Parliament and key political leaders in their home constituencies and submitting memoranda to them, warning them to immediately resolve all farmers’ demands failing which they will face further protests,” a Morcha statement said.
In May, June and July, state and district-level conventions of the Morcha will be held across the country to galvanise and organise farmers and farm workers, it said.
Between August 1 and 15, mass protests in coordination with workers’ unions and organisations will be held to end the Centre’s sale of farmer and worker interests to corporate houses, the Morcha said.
“Between September (and) mid-November, massive all-India yatras shall be held all over the country, which shall be led by national leaders of SKM. The yatras will specially focus on states that will see Assembly elections such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, etc,” the Morcha said.
It announced that an India Shaheedi Diwas would be observed on October 3, the anniversary of the killing of eight people including four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, in 2021 as a fallout of the farmers’ protest.
“On November 26, the day on which the historic Dilli Chalo march of farmers reached the borders of Delhi, Vijay Diwas shall be celebrated by way of holding day-night dharna for at least three days in all state capitals,” the Morcha said.
It expressed solidarity with the women wrestlers protesting against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP parliamentarian Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, whom they accuse of sexual harassment. It also lent its support to former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik, who it said was a supporter of farmers.
PTI
