As reported in November last year, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) stuck to its call to march in Delhi on Tuesday, demanding the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendation to set minimum support prices (MSP) at 50 percent. and more than C2 production costs. In addition, the farmers’ leaders demanded a law to ensure that crops are purchased from the MSP. A meeting is scheduled in Chandigarh at 5 pm on Monday, where three Union ministers and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann are likely to meet farmers’ leaders to persuade them to call off the march, sources said.
SKM (Non-Political) March Coordinator Abhimanyu Kohar confirmed Monday’s meeting but told the traders that no proposal had been made to postpone the march. He added that the demands have been prepared for a long time. Union Food Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda and Home Minister Nityanand Rai last week held talks with farmer leaders and sought time to convey the government’s views on farmers’ demands.
SKM (non-political) leaders announced their decision to bring thousands of farmers from across the country to Delhi in November. Farmers’ leader Shiv Kumar Kakkaji said that farmers above 60 years of age should get unconditional pension. Among other demands, SKM (Non-Political) sought farmers to be permanently debt-free. Land acquisition also requires at least 70 percent implementation, written consent of farmers and quadruple land compensation as few states still do not have it. The agricultural demonstration of 2020, where several farmers’ organizations gathered under one platform, however, only split from SKM and continues mainly with left organizations, while the current (non-political) appeal of SKM includes Kohar. (from Haryana), Kakaji (from Madhya Pradesh) and Jagjit Singh Dallewal (President of Bhartiya Kisan Union – Ekta Sidhupur, Punjab). Several farmer’s organizations in Uttar Pradesh, including Naresh Tikait-led BKU and Bhasnu Pratap Singh-led BKU, have not joined the current march to Delhi. On the other hand, SKM collaborated with CITU and others to control the strike in rural India on February 16.
