The Crossbill Team
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Tuesday (February 24) announced an intensified nationwide agitation against the proposed India–US trade agreement and a range of other policy measures, declaring that it would launch a sustained, united struggle with workers’ organisations.
The decisions were taken at the National Council meeting of the farmers’ platform held at Jat Dharmashala in Kurukshetra, Haryana.
In its statement, SKM said the National Council meeting “has resolved to intensify independent struggles as well as united struggles with workers till all the major demands are achieved, such as not signing India US Trade Deal, no to the Electricity Bill, the Seed Bill, Four Labour Codes, the Gram-G Act and the main pending demands of legal guarantee for MSP@C2+50%, Loan Waiver and implementation of LARR Act 2013.”
The organisation also demanded the dismissal of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, accusing him of betraying farmers’ interests.
The statement further said, “SKM will have coordination meetings with the Platform of Trade Unions and Agricultural Workers Unions and decide the final plan of united struggles.”
As part of this coordinated effort, the organisation resolved to hold a Worker-Farmer Parliament at Jantar Mantar on March 9, the first day of the upcoming Parliament session, along with trade unions and agricultural workers’ platforms.
SKM announced that it would take the campaign to villages across the country until March 9. According to the statement, farmers would demand that the President of India sack Piyush Goyal, direct the Prime Minister not to sign what it termed the “anti-national India US Trade Deal,” and instruct Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to withdraw the DO letter ending bonus payments to wheat and paddy farmers.
“Farmers will take out processions to the post offices to send such open letters to the President of India,” the statement said.
It also added that campaigns would be organised in villages cultivating crops “such as apple, soya bean, cotton, maize etc.”
On February 27 or subsequent days, SKM delegations will meet Chief Ministers and Leaders of the Opposition in various states.
The statement said they would demand that states “fight the centralisation of power by the Modi Government and protect the federal rights of the states,” and “urge Parliament to amend the GST Act to restore the taxation power of the states, allocate 60% share instead of the current 33% of the divisible pool to states including cess and surcharges.”
The organisation also announced that Mahapanchayats would be held across India from March 10, beginning in Barnala, Punjab, and continuing until April 13, observed as Jallianwala Bagh Day.
“These Mahapanchayats will rally tens of thousands of farmers and explain the dangers of the India US Trade Deal and other pro-corporate policies of the Modi Government and prepare for a long struggle in the future,” the statement said.
March 23, Martyrs’ Day, will be observed nationwide as Anti-Imperialist Day, with detailed programmes to be worked out at the state level.
The meeting adopted a resolution “to condemn the police repression unleashed on farmers’ agitations in Punjab, Odisha and Maharashtra.”
It also discussed a letter from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and decided to form a five-member committee comprising Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Yudhvir Singh, P Krishnaprasad, Raminder Singh Patiala and Baldev Singh Nihalgarh to hold discussions with them. Additionally, a 15-member committee will be formed to engage with the Supreme Court-appointed panel on MSP and related issues.
The session was presided over by a seven-member presidium that included Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Rakesh Tikait, Dr Ashok Dhawale, Ashish Mittal, Jagmohan Singh, Rajan Kshirsagar and Joginder Singh Nain.
More than 150 participants from Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra and Kerala attended. Participants also paid floral tributes to Chaudhary Chhotu Ram at the Jat Dharamshala in Kurukshetra before the meeting commenced.
The decisions were taken at the National Council meeting of the farmers’ platform held at Jat Dharmashala in Kurukshetra, Haryana.
In its statement, SKM said the National Council meeting “has resolved to intensify independent struggles as well as united struggles with workers till all the major demands are achieved, such as not signing India US Trade Deal, no to the Electricity Bill, the Seed Bill, Four Labour Codes, the Gram-G Act and the main pending demands of legal guarantee for MSP@C2+50%, Loan Waiver and implementation of LARR Act 2013.”
The organisation also demanded the dismissal of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, accusing him of betraying farmers’ interests.
The statement further said, “SKM will have coordination meetings with the Platform of Trade Unions and Agricultural Workers Unions and decide the final plan of united struggles.”
As part of this coordinated effort, the organisation resolved to hold a Worker-Farmer Parliament at Jantar Mantar on March 9, the first day of the upcoming Parliament session, along with trade unions and agricultural workers’ platforms.
SKM announced that it would take the campaign to villages across the country until March 9. According to the statement, farmers would demand that the President of India sack Piyush Goyal, direct the Prime Minister not to sign what it termed the “anti-national India US Trade Deal,” and instruct Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to withdraw the DO letter ending bonus payments to wheat and paddy farmers.
“Farmers will take out processions to the post offices to send such open letters to the President of India,” the statement said.
It also added that campaigns would be organised in villages cultivating crops “such as apple, soya bean, cotton, maize etc.”
On February 27 or subsequent days, SKM delegations will meet Chief Ministers and Leaders of the Opposition in various states.
The statement said they would demand that states “fight the centralisation of power by the Modi Government and protect the federal rights of the states,” and “urge Parliament to amend the GST Act to restore the taxation power of the states, allocate 60% share instead of the current 33% of the divisible pool to states including cess and surcharges.”
The organisation also announced that Mahapanchayats would be held across India from March 10, beginning in Barnala, Punjab, and continuing until April 13, observed as Jallianwala Bagh Day.
“These Mahapanchayats will rally tens of thousands of farmers and explain the dangers of the India US Trade Deal and other pro-corporate policies of the Modi Government and prepare for a long struggle in the future,” the statement said.
March 23, Martyrs’ Day, will be observed nationwide as Anti-Imperialist Day, with detailed programmes to be worked out at the state level.
The meeting adopted a resolution “to condemn the police repression unleashed on farmers’ agitations in Punjab, Odisha and Maharashtra.”
It also discussed a letter from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and decided to form a five-member committee comprising Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Yudhvir Singh, P Krishnaprasad, Raminder Singh Patiala and Baldev Singh Nihalgarh to hold discussions with them. Additionally, a 15-member committee will be formed to engage with the Supreme Court-appointed panel on MSP and related issues.
The session was presided over by a seven-member presidium that included Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Rakesh Tikait, Dr Ashok Dhawale, Ashish Mittal, Jagmohan Singh, Rajan Kshirsagar and Joginder Singh Nain.
More than 150 participants from Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra and Kerala attended. Participants also paid floral tributes to Chaudhary Chhotu Ram at the Jat Dharamshala in Kurukshetra before the meeting commenced.
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