Farmers’ stir to continue till 6 demands met: SKM in letter to PM Modi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 21

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with six demands, including legal guarantee for MSP, withdrawal of cases against farmers and land at Singhu border for a martyrs’ memorial, and said the farmers’ agitation would continue till the time these were met.

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“You have appealed to the farmers to go back home. We are not fond of sitting on the streets. We too desire that after resolving these other issues as soon as possible, we return to our homes, families and farming. If you want the same, then the government should immediately resume talks with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on the above six issues. Till then, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha will continue this movement,” the SKM said in their letter to PM.

Noting PM “unilateral declaration (address to the nation) rather than a bilateral solution”, the SKM said repeal of the three laws was not the only demand of the movement and there were other issues.

Among the demands listed in the SKM’s letter are – legal guarantee for MSP, withdrawal of the draft “Electricity Amendments Bill, 2020/2021” proposed by the government; removal of the penal provisions on farmers in the “Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act 2021”; immediate withdrawal of cases against farmers implicated in hundreds of cases in Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and several other states; sacking of MoS Home Ajay Mishra whose son is an accused in Lakhimpur Kheri killings and land at Singhu border to build a memorial honouring the memory of 700 farmers who died during the agitation.

“During this movement, so far about 700 farmers have given their lives to the cause, as their supreme sacrifice. There should be compensation and rehabilitation support for their families. To build a martyrs’ memorial in the memory of the martyr farmers, land should be given at Singhu Border,” SKM said expanding the ambit of their demands to cover withdrawal of criminal cases against farmers, land for a memorial and the sacking of junior home minister Ajay Mishra.

On Mishra, the letter said, “Ajay Mishra Teni, the mastermind of Lakhimpur Kheri murder case and accused of section 120B, is still roaming freely and remains a Minister in your cabinet. He is also sharing the stage with you and other senior ministers. He should be sacked and arrested.”