Farmers outfits, trade unions denounce US deal at Jantar Mantar, demand rollback

New Delhi, Mar 9 (PTI) The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and a joint platform of Central Trade Unions (CTUs) on Monday held a 'Mazdoor-Kisan Parliament' at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding that the Centre abandon its "pro-US and pro-corporate" policies.

The event was organised on the first day of the second half of the Budget Session of Parliament.

In a statement, the CTUs and the SKM "warned the Union government to give up belligerent and authoritarian measures of imposing corporate-driven, pro-US policies and legislations or face prolonged, pan-India united struggles by farmers and workers".

It said, according to a statement, "The Sansad called upon farmers and workers to gear up for massive struggles and appealed for coordinated support of movements from all working and democratic sections of the people." The SKM said farmers and workers will observe March 23, 2026, the martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, as 'Anti-Imperialist Day' against the proposed free trade deal with the US.

April 1, 2026, will be observed as an 'All-India Black Day' against the implementation of the four labour codes, while mahapanchayats will be held across states to mobilise support for what it termed anti-corporate mass struggles, it said.

The statement said speakers at the Mazdoor-Kisan Parliament strongly condemned what they described as the Union government's "shameful surrender" to US pressure in accepting an "unequal and exploitative" Indo-US interim trade framework.

They also accused the government of acting in tandem with corporate interests to implement "anti-worker and anti-farmer measures." The gathering also criticised the Centre for not implementing the written assurances given to the SKM on December 9, 2021, following the farmers' agitation against the three now-repealed farm laws.

The declaration adopted at the event demanded that Parliament enact a law guaranteeing the procurement of all crops at a minimum support price (MSP) based on the Swaminathan Commission formula.

It also called for modernisation of agriculture through producer cooperatives, agro-based industries under the public and cooperative sectors, and an end to what it termed corporate takeover of agriculture.

The declaration warned of nationwide protests if the government proceeds with the four labour codes, which it alleged would dilute workers' rights, freedom of association, collective bargaining, the right to strike and the eight-hour workday.

The platform urged the government to reject the Indo-US interim trade framework, withdraw the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and the Seed Bill 2025, repeal the VB GRAM-G Act, and restore the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with 200 days of work and a daily wage of Rs 700.

The gathering also accused the Centre of centralising financial powers and depriving states of resources, demanding amendments to the GST Act, 2017, to restore taxation powers to states and increase their share in the divisible pool to 60 per cent, including cess and surcharges. PTI AO VN VN