New Delhi: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha will be holding a meet at Delhi on March 14. After a setback in the in the just-concluded assembly election, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, who was opposing the Bharatiya Janata Party, will be holding their first meet, to discuss the future plans of the union, and specially to restart their agitation, the people aware of development said.
According to Hindustan Times reports, the analysts said that the SKM faces an uphill task now, a member of the group’s decision-making panel said the farmers’ goals were not about just one set of elections, although it widely campaigned to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.
In Uttar Pradesh the BJP had blunted the farmers uprising, comfortably winning a re-election, although with a slightly lower tally.
Rakesh Tikait, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, said that no matter which party is in power, they will protest until their demands are fulfilled. He said, “Whatever party is in power, our agitation will continue till our demands are met. I don’t want to talk about the UP elections. It’s over. But 100%, the agitation will continue. I am with the SKM.”
Refuting the rumour of him winding down his involvement in the agitation, he said “baddmashon ka affwaa (mischievous rumours)”.
“(News) channels are saying we failed. If we failed, then why did the government take back the farm laws?” Tikait asked.
The main concern of the union is withdrawing all the cases lodged against the farmers during the protests, some of them under the harsh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Avik Saha, the SKM’s face in West Bengal, said: “I have been charged under UAPA. Am I a terrorist?”
The farmers are also demanding for a law assuring minimum prices for major farm produce, for securing their incomes.
The farmers protest was spread across several states, and was one of the largest protests witnessed in decades.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
