Centre ignoring Dallewal's indefinite fast, must hold talks with protesting farmers: SKM

Chandigarh: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Thursday slammed the Centre, accusing it of ignoring the ongoing fast-unto-death of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and asked it to hold talks with the protesting farmers.

In a 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' at Moga in Punjab, the SKM said the draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM) announced by the Union government is "a dangerous form of re-enforcing the now-repealed three farm laws."

It announced to burn the copies of the draft policy on January 13 and take out a tractor march on January 26.

The SKM held the second 'Kisan Mahapanchayt' within a week to express their anger against the NPFAM, alleging it will "destroy" the mandi system if it is implemented.

The first 'mahapanchayat' was held at Tohana in Haryana on January 4.

The SKM leaders also lashed out at the AAP government in Punjab for not calling a session of the state Assembly for rejecting the draft policy on agricultural marketing.

It also passed a "unity resolution" and said that a six-member coordination committee of the SKM will visit the Khanauri and Shambhu borders on January 10 to appeal for unity among the farmer bodies.

The organisation announced that none of its leaders will give any statement against the ongoing protest at the two border points by the SKM (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM).

The SKM, which had spearheaded the 2020 farmers' stir against the now-repealed farm laws, is not part of the ongoing protest of the SKM (non-political) and KMM.

Senior SKM leaders who addressed the mahapanchayat included Balbir Singh Rajewal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Rakesh Tikait, Dr Darshan Pal and Raminder Patiala.

Addressing the gathering, Tikait pointed towards Dallewal whose fast-unto-death entered 45th day on Thursday and said the central government was not bothered about him.

"Some of our people are on fast unto death and we are also sad that he was on indefinite fast for the past 44-45 days. But the government of India is not listening. SKM is completely with them," said Tikait.

"Our committee will meet them tomorrow. We are ready to work unitedly," he asserted.

Dallewal, who is the convener of the SKM (non-political), has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year over farmers' various demands including seeking a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Tikait asserted that the SKM was always strong and would remain so.

Referring to the ongoing protest, Tikait said, "At present, this fight is on the Punjab soil. It should cross the border of Punjab and reach states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh which are ruled by the BJP." The farmer leader accused the Centre of trying to break the SKM.

"Over 700 new organisations have come up in the country and many of them speak the language of the government," he said.

The farmer leaders also blamed the Centre for the deadlock and asked it to hold talks with the protesting farmers to save the life of Dallewal.

They rejected the draft policy on agriculture marketing and demanded a legal guarantee to MSP and a debt waiver for farmers. The draft policy is a "dangerous version of the repealed three black farm laws", they said.

Rajewal alleged that the SKM is like a wall that stands against the implementation of corporate policies, referring to the draft policy on agriculture marketing.

"This is your fight and farmers stand united. Total corporatisation is taking place and people will not tolerate it," he asserted.

Referring to Dallewal's indefinite fast and ongoing protest, Rajewal said, "He is our own and the SKM is with him".

Another SKM leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal lashed out at the Centre over the issue of the draft policy, alleging the government was trying to "break" the mandi system with its implementation.

He also targeted the AAP government for not calling a session of the Vidhan Sabha for rejecting the draft policy.

"We have told the state government to oppose it. But the Punjab government is sleeping. It seems that it is afraid of the Centre. It has not called a session of the Vidhan Sabha to reject it," he said.