LAKHS OF FARMERS TO GATHER AT KISAN MAHAPANCHAYAT OF SAMYUKT KISAN MORCHA AT DELHI ON 20TH MARCH Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) | Press Release – March 19, 2023
The Mahapanchayat shall demand that the Union Govt. fulfil the commitments it had given in writing to SKM on 9th December, 2021 and also take effective steps to mitigate the ever increasing and spiralling crisis being faced by farmers.
Delhi, 19th March, 2023: At a Press Conference held at the Press Club today, leaders of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, announced that lakhs of farmers from all states and union territories are on their way to Delhi to attend the Kisan Mahapanchayat to be be held at Ramlila Maidan Delhi on 20th March, 2023. After three years, farmers crisis will call to action shall reverberate inside Delhi.
SKM leaders met this morning and severely condemned the Union Govt's pro-corporate thrust in “development” which is undermining farm income and leading to snatching of farmland, forest reserves and natural resources to help corporate profit. SKM leaders shall speak in details about the impact of this policy on farmers, adivasi farmers, women farmers, agricultural and migrant labour, rural workers, unemployment and rising cost of living and declining purchasing power at the Mahapanchayat tomorrow.
The Mahapanchayat shall demand that the Union Govt. fulfil the commitments it had given in writing to SKM on 9th December, 2021 and also take effective steps to mitigate the ever increasing and spiralling crisis being faced by farmers. These commitments/demands are mentioned below:
1. A law to guarantee MSP for all crops, using the C2 + 50 percent formula, based on the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission and assured procurement should be immediately enacted and implemented.
2. SKM has pointed out several times that the committee constituted by the Union Govt. on MSP and its stated agenda is contrary to the demands of the farmers. This committee should be dismissed, and a new committee on MSP only should be re-constituted, with due representation of farmers, by including representatives of SKM as promised by the Union Govt.
3. Due to rising input costs in agriculture and not receiving remunerative prices for their crops, more than 80% of the farmers are trapped under massive debt, and are forced to commit suicide. In such a situation, SKM demands immediate waiver of all loans of all farmers and reduction of input prices including fertilisers.
4. The Electricity Amendment Bill, 2022 referred to JPC should be withdrawn. The Union Govt. had given written assurance to SKM that the bill will be introduced in Parliament only after discussion with SKM but despite this, it introduced this bill in parliament without any discussion. SKM reiterates demand for free power for agricultural purposes and 300 units for rural households.
5. Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra ‘Teni', the main conspirator in the murder of four farmers and a journalist at Tikonia in Lakhimpur Kheri district, should be dismissed from the cabinet and arrested and sent to jail.
6. The Govt should fulfil its promise of providing compensation and rehabilitation to the families of all farmers who were martyred during the farm movement as well as the martyred and injured farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri.
7. The Govt should replace the ineffective and virtually abandoned PMFBY by implementing universal, comprehensive and effective crop insurance and compensation package for all crops, to compensate for losses being constantly faced by farmers due to drought, flood, hailstorm, untimely and/or excessive rain, crop related diseases, wild animals, stray cattle etc. The loss should be assessed on the basis of individual plots.
8. A farmer pension scheme of ₹ 5,000 per month should be immediately implemented for all farmers and agricultural labourers.
9. The fake cases which have been registered against the farmers in BJP ruled states, and other states and Union Territories, during the farm movement, should be withdrawn immediately.
10. Land allocation should be made for the construction of a memorial for the martyred farmers at Singhu Morcha.
The Mahapanchayat will hear the voice of farmers of India, loud and clear, who shall not rest till their demands are met.
Media Cell - Samyukt Kisan Morcha
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