Farmers protest: SKM alleges govt 'solely responsible for present crisis, casualty'

New Delhi: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha Wednesday condoled the death of a farmer in a clash between security personnel and protesters at the Punjab-Haryana border, and alleged the government was "solely responsible for the present crisis and casualty".

The farmers' body called a meeting of its National Coordination Committee and the General Body on February 22 to discuss the situation and take "decisive action to advance the struggle".

Twenty-one-year-old farmer, identified as Subhkaran Singh (21) from the Baloke village of Bathinda district, was killed and a few others were injured following the clash between security personnel and protesting farmers at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border.

"The SKM strongly protests the brutal police repression and murder of farmer Shubkaran Singh of Baloke Village, Bhatinda district, in the police firing in the Haryana-Punjab border," the farmers' body said in a statement.

"As per the report available, around fifteen people have been seriously injured in the repression. This is a brutal assault on bread-earners from farmer families when they were protesting only for the implementation of the written promises made by the prime minister," the SKM said in a statement.

"The prime minister and the executive that failed to implement the agreement with SKM signed on 9th December 2021 are solely responsible for the present crisis and the casualty," they said.

On December 9, 2021, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which was spearheading farmers' previous protest against three farm laws (now repealed), had called off the agitation after getting an official proposal from the government.

The All India Kisan Sabha, which is part of farmers' collective SKM, also condoled the death, saying it exposes the "brutality" of the regime.

"The AIKS condoles the death of Shubhkaran Singh who was killed in the Haryana police action near Khanauri border today... Earlier two protesting farmers had died due to cardiac arrest," it said.

"This killing exposes the brutality of the Modi regime even while claiming to be 'farmer-friendly'. The BJP government in Haryana led by Manohar Lal Khattar is treating protesting farmers -- who are marching towards Delhi -- like enemy soldiers and is carrying out war-like operations," they said.

"AIKS calls upon all its units to rise in rage and hold protests against the barbaric violence of the BJP governments in Haryana and the Centre," it said.