SKM holds statewide stir over eviction of farmers

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) staged protests outside the offices of all 23 deputy commissioners across the state to condemn the police crackdown on the farmers’ movement.

They organised a four-hour ‘gherao’ of the offices. SKM was not part a part of the protests at Shambhu and Khanauri borders by the SKM (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM).

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), a key constituent of SKM (Non-Political), stayed away from Friday’s protest. The Sidhupur faction of BKU said their top leaders were released from jails on Friday and they had gathered to see them.

Expect a meeting with state govt: Ugrahan

After the release of farmers from jails, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said they now expected a meeting with the state government. “We are pleased that farmers have been released. We expect the government to hold a meeting with us. We will decide the next course of action based on the outcome of the meeting,” he said, and added that the stir will continue till their demands are met.

He was addressing a protest outside the Sangrur DC office. On the government claims of procurement on MSP, Ugrahan said, “The draft law offers no MSP and no crops are being procured by the government. We demand that the government takes full control of procurement.” On concerns regarding land acquisition for the Bharat Mala project, Ugrahan said farmers were not against the project but only sought fair compensation for the land.

The protesters submitted a charter of demands to the respective district authorities.

BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) state vice-president Jhanda Singh Jethuke said in Bathinda that Mann ‘betrayed’ the trust of farmers by arresting SKM (non-political) leaders who had reached Chandigarh for a talk with a Centre and state government panel. He said the AAP was ‘pro-corporate’ and interests of the farming community were being ‘suppressed in a planned manner’.