According to Samyukt Kisan Morcha, farmers will adhere to their pre-planned protest schedule until November 29, the opening day of Parliament’s winter session.
Apart from waiting for the controversial farm laws to be repealed in Parliament, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has issued an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging that he begin negotiations to fulfil six pressing demands of farmers.
The SKM said that it would like to reassure that they do not like sitting on the streets and wish to return to their homes, families, and farms as soon as possible after settling other (pending) problems.
Protests to continue until demands are met, pledges Samyukt Kisan Morcha
In its letter, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella group of farmers’ unions that is driving the demonstrations, wrote to PM Modi that if his government want the same to happen (protesting farmers leaving for their homes), the government should immediately restart negotiations with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha.
Farmers will stick to their pre-determined protest scheduled until November 29, the first day of Parliament’s winter session, according to the organization.
Six key demands include Guaranteed MSP and arrest of MoS Ajay Mishra
The six key demands put forth by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha are as follows:
- Guaranteed Minimum Support Price: Minimum Support Price (MSP) based on the total cost of production (C2+50%) should be made a legal right of all farmers for all agricultural output, so that every farmer in the country may be assured at least the MSP published by the government for their whole crop.
- Withdrawal of ‘Electricity Amendments Bill, 2020/2021’: The administration pledged to remove ‘Electricity Amendments Bill, 2020/2021’ during the discussions it held with SKM, but it was placed in Parliament’s agenda and is still pending, according to SKM.
- Decriminalize Stubble Burning: SKM has urged that the government remove Section 15 of the ‘Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act 2021’ that provides for criminal action against farmers in the case of stubble burning.
- Dropping Lawsuits Against Protesting Farmers: Thousands of farmers have been involved in hundreds of lawsuits in Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and other states during the protests (June 2020 to date). They are now demanding that these charges be dropped immediately.
- Sacking and Arrest of MoS Ajay Mishra: Ajay Misra, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, be removed from his office and arrested in connection with the Lakhimpur incident is one more key demand of the SKM.
- Martyr’s Memorial at Singhu Border: The farmer leaders led by Samyukt Kisan Morcha are also asking for land for the establishment of a martyr’s memorial at Singhu border, as well as compensation for the families of the purported 700 farmers who died during the years-long protests.