Farmers Protest, Rallies to Continue As Planned, Says SKM; Varun Gandhi Supports MSP Demand

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced repeal of the three agri laws that triggered a year of protests by farmers, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, on Saturday held a core committee meeting to discuss the future course of action. During the meeting, the farmer unions have decided to continue with Lucknow Mahapanchayat, tractor march on November 29 and other rallies as planned.

“Lucknow rally will continue likewise. November 29 tractor march will continue. We will celebrate one year anniversary. Protest will continue to take place. The main body of SKM to sit tomorrow. Mahapanchayat on November 22 in Lucknow, protest on November 26 on Ghazipur-Singhu border and tractor rally on November 29 will take place as planned. The Prime Minister did a one side conversation yesterday. Until we are satisfied the protest will continue,” said farmers’ leaders after the meeting.

To observe one year of the anti-farm law agitation, the SKM had earlier this month announced that 500 farmers will participate in peaceful tractors marches to Parliament every day during the Winter Session starting November 29.

Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni said a discussion over Minimum Support Price (MSP), cases registered against farmers and compensation for deceased farmers kin by the Centre will be again discussed on Sunday. “We will discuss over MSP, cases registered against farmers and compensation for deceased farmers kin (by the Centre). Samyukt Kisan Morcha meeting will be held tomorrow,” ANI quoted Charuni as saying. The farmers’ body had said their agitation was not just against the repeal of the three black laws but also for a statutory guarantee to remunerative prices for all agricultural produce.

“More than 700 people have lost their lives. The government could have taken this decision earlier. We will have meeting and then decide on our future course of action at the SKM meet happening today around 11am,” Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait told the news agency.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Varun Gandhi requested Prime Minister Modi to accept farmers’ demand for statutory MSP guarantee for their crops. In a letter to the prime minister, the MP from Pilibhit in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh said that till this demand of farmers’ is not met, their movement will not end.

Gandhi thanked Modi for his “large-heartedness” in announcing the decision to repeal the three farm laws, but added “more than 700 farmer brothers and sisters have been martyred in this movement”, as they peacefully protested in extremely difficult and hostile conditions. “If this decision had been taken earlier, innocent lives would not have been lost,” he said.

In his letter posted on Twitter, Gandhi underscored the need to accept the farmers’ demand for legal guarantee of MSP. “This movement will not end without the resolution of this demand and there will be widespread anger amongst them, which will continue to emerge in one form or the other. Therefore, it is very important for the farmers to get the statutory guarantee of MSP for their crops,” he wrote.

On Friday, the SKM said, “The agitation of farmers is not just against the repeal of the three black laws, but also for a statutory guarantee to remunerative prices for all agricultural produce and for all farmers. This important demand of farmers is still pending.” The SKM added that the demand of the withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill is still pending.

Tikait also had said the ongoing anti-farm laws protest will be withdrawn only after the three legislations are repealed in Parliament and legal guarantee on MSP for crops made.

Prime Minister Modi yesterday apologised to the people over his government not being able to “convince” a section of farmers about the “truth” regarding their benefits. The announcement of the withdrawal of the contentious laws in his address to the nation that coincided with Guru Nanak Jayanti was warily welcomed by leaders of the farmers’ unions spearheading the agitation but they said the protests will continue till the measures are repealed in Parliament and Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops gets legal guarantee.

The prime minister in his speech that comes ahead of key Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab early next year noted that it is the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and no occasion to blame anyone. “I have come to tell you that we have decided to repeal the three farm laws. In the upcoming Parliament session starting at the end of this month, we will complete the constitutional process to repeal the three farm laws,” Modi said in his 9 am address.

He appealed to all his farmer friends to return home to their fields and families and make a new beginning on this auspicious occasion, a day when gurudwaras across the country are lit up to celebrate the festival. Thousands of farmers had set up camps at entry points into the national capital since November 26 last year. let us move forward afresh,” Modi said, adding that the goal of the three agriculture reform laws was to empower farmers, especially small farmers.

(with inputs from PTI)

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