SKM announces nationwide stir against India-US trade deal

Kurukshetra, Feb 24 (PTI) The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Tuesday announced a nationwide agitation against the proposed India-US trade agreement and other key policy issues, stating that protests will continue until the Centre accepts farmers' demands.

The decision was taken at the SKM National Council meeting held at Jat Dharamshala in Kurukshetra, according to a press release issued by its media cell.

More than 150 representatives from nine states — Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra and Kerala — attended the meeting.

SKM said a joint Kisan Mazdoor Parliament will be organised at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on March 9, the opening day of the next Parliament session.

From March 10 to April 13, the Morcha will hold Mahapanchayats across the country, beginning from Barnala in Punjab, to raise awareness about what it described as the "dangers" of the proposed trade pact and other "corporate-friendly" policies of the Centre.

March 23 will be observed nationwide as Anti-Imperialism Day, with programmes to be finalised at the state level.

The SKM reiterated its demands, including rejecting the India-US trade agreement, withdrawing the Electricity Amendment Bill and Seed Bill, repealing the four Labour Codes and legally guaranteeing MSP as per the C2+50 per cent formula.

It also demanded farm loan waivers and effective implementation of the 2013 Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act.

The Morcha said village-level meetings will be held across the country till March 9.

Farmers will also march to local post offices to send open letters to the President of India, seeking the dismissal of Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, asking the Prime Minister not to sign the trade agreement, and urging the Union Finance Minister to withdraw a reported communication ending bonuses for wheat and paddy farmers.

From February 27, SKM delegations will meet chief ministers and opposition leaders in various states to oppose what it termed the Centre's "centralisation of powers" and to demand restoration of states' taxation powers under the GST Act and an increase in states' share in the divisible tax pool from 33 per cent to 60 per cent.

Senior farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, who addressed the meeting, criticised the Centre's trade and foreign policies.

The meeting also condemned alleged police action against farmers in Punjab, Odisha and Maharashtra.

A five-member committee was formed to hold talks with SKM (Non-Political), and a 15-member panel will be set up to interact with the Supreme Court-appointed committee on MSP-related issues.

The session was chaired by a seven-member praesidium of farmer leaders. Participants also paid tributes to Chaudhary Chhotu Ram at the Dharamshala premises. PTI COR VSD AMJ AMJ