SKM urges PM not to 'ignore' farmers; letter to be sent through CMs, MPs

New Delhi: Samyukt Kisan Morcha Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to ignore the farmers' demands and to save the life of Jagjeet Singh Dallewal who has been on a hunger strike for the past 53 days.

In a letter that would be sent to Modi through MPs and chief ministers, the SKM expressed concern over the "apathy" being shown by the Union government towards the farmers who have been demanding a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP), among other things.

Farmers, under the banner of the SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, after security forces did not allow them to march to Delhi to press for their demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

Dallewal, the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year in support of various demands of the farmers.

The SKM, which led the farmers' protest against the now-repealed three farm laws, has appealed "to raise with the prime minister to not ignore the demands being raised by farmers of India, to implement the written assurances given to SKM by the Government of India on December 9, 2021, and to save the life of Jagjeet Singh Dallewal who is on indefinite hunger strike for the last 53 days.

"With deep concern over the continuous apathy of the Central government, we write to you to help solve the extremely serious issues concerning the farming community of India and the economy as a whole. We hope that you will be able to take up these issues with the Government of India, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the SKM said.

Over Dallewal's hunger strike, it said, "It will be a huge tragedy for the country if a valuable life is lost only because the government choose not to respond. We firmly believe that the Union government should hold talks and save his life."

The farmers' body also opposed the Draft National Policy Framework for Agricultural Markets, terming it a "reincarnation" of the now-repealed farm laws.

"This draft is out and out a policy to hand over all agricultural operations to private corporations and MNCs."

"This policy prominently exhibits its anti-farmer intent by remaining totally silent on granting of any MSP or government procurement or food distribution through PDS. We urge you to go through this anti-people, pro-corporate policy and raise your voice against it. We request your Vidhan Sabhas to kindly reject this draft and immediately notify the Central government," SKM's letter addressed to MPs and chief ministers said.

It urged the MPs and CMs to remind the prime minister of his written commitment to the farmers of India, made when the farmers' protests were withdrawn.

"We also urge you to ask the prime minister to immediately hold talks on all these issues with all farmers' organizations, chief ministers and all political parties to solve these problems," they said.