Samyukt Kisan Morcha renews stir, submits charter of demands to MPs

Neeraj Mohan

New Delhi, July 17

Farmer groups associated with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) reignited their struggle for agricultural reforms by presenting a charter of 14 demands to Lok Sabha members on Wednesday.

The SKM, an umbrella body of farmer groups, is seeking an immediate legislative action to address long-standing issues, including minimum support price (MSP) for various crops and loan waiver.

Farmers protest at Badal village

• Raising their long-pending demands, a large number of farmers on Wednesday held a protest outside the residence of Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal at Badal village here for nearly three hours
• They blocked the road and later handed over a memorandum to her representative Avtar Singh Vanwala as Harsimrat was not present at her residence

Their key demands

• MSP for crops based on the MS Swaminathan Committee’s formula
• A complete loan waiver for farmers and agricultural labourers
• A comprehensive public sector insurance cover for all crops and livestock
• Scrapping of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
• Rs 10,000 per month pension for all farmers and agricultural workers
• India should exit the WTO agreement on agriculture

Watching their actions

We have submitted a charter of demands to several MPs and now we will observe whether they raise our issues in Parliament or not. SKM leaders

The renewed agitation follows an earlier year-long protest against three farm laws, which led to their repeal, but left several other demands unaddressed.

SKM leaders announced their decision to resume the agitation with a comprehensive charter that calls for the enactment of a law guaranteeing MSP based on the MS Swaminathan Committee’s formula, and a complete loan waiver for farmers and agricultural labourers.

Farmers submitted memorandums to several MPs on Tuesday and Wednesday and would continue doing so on Thursday as well. They are urging parliamentarians to raise these issues in Parliament. “We have submitted a charter of demands to several MPs and now we will observe whether they raise our issues in Parliament or not,” SKM leaders said.

The SKM’s demands extend beyond MSP and loan waiver. It wants a comprehensive public sector insurance coverage for all crops and animal husbandry, scrapping of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and a pension of Rs 10,000 per month for all farmers and agricultural workers. They also seek an end to corporatisation of agriculture and demand that India should exit the World Trade Organisation’s agreement on agriculture.

The farmers plan to submit their charter to the government authorities and Opposition parties, with petitions directed to PM Narendra Modi and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.