The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha today announced their decision to hold a march to Delhi on December 6 in support of their demand for legal guarantee on MSP for all crops.
Members of the farmer unions owing allegiance to these fronts have been protesting at the state’s borders with Haryana (Shambhu and Khanauri) for the past nine months. The Haryana Government has not allowed them to enter the state for their onwards march to Delhi.
Addressing media persons here today, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the decision to march towards Delhi next month was taken at a meeting of farmer leaders as the Centre had refused to initiate any talks with them over the past nine months. “We will start the march in small jathas (batches). We have given enough time to the Centre to agree to our demands,” he said.
The last round of talks between these unions and the ministerial delegation from the Centre and state government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, was held in February this year. Last week, the SKM (Non-Political) had also announced its decision to observe indefinite fast from November 26, if the Centre did not initiate talks on their demands.
Among other things, these farmer unions are also demanding the implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission; debt waiver for farmers; social security cover for farmers and farm labourers; and justice for the victims of Lakhimpur Kheri violence in 2021.