SKM holds mahapanchayat, resolves to oppose BJP nominees in Lok Sabha poll

Neeraj Mohan

New Delhi, March 14

A large number of farmers and agricultural labourers from 18 states today attended the “Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat” at the Ramlila Ground here to protest the BJP-led Centre’s policies related to the farm sector.

The protesters resolved to launch a countrywide agitation against the BJP during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for not accepting their demand for guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for crops. The mahapanchayat was organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), whose leaders said a resolution was unanimously passed to “expose, protest and punish BJP”. They also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of not fulfilling the promises made to the farmers during the last General Election.

The SKM urged the farmers to observe March 23 as “Save Democracy from the Threat of Money and Muscle Power Day” in all villages by organising protests against the BJP for declaring Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra Teni as party candidate from Lakhimpur Kheri instead of punishing him. Mishra’s son Ashish is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case in which four protesting farmers were killed after being run over by a car driven allegedly by him.

BKU (Tikait) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said the mahapanchayat was the beginning of the battle for guaranteed MSP. BKU (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni said the SKM was united, and that talks were underway with farmer leaders staging protests at Shambhu and Khanauri borders. SKM leader Darshan Pal said they had established a communication network in all states and they would inform the people how the government had “betrayed farmers”

The demands of the farmers include guaranteed MSP and procurement of all crops as per the C2+50% formula, comprehensive loan waiver, non-privatisation of electricity, action against Mishra and the registration of an FIR on murder charges against the Union Home Minister, former Haryana CM and Home Minister for the death of farmer Shubhkaran Singh on the Khanauri border.

The protesters have accused the authorities of deliberately diverting drain water to the venue.