The writing is on the wall: Farmers warn Parliamentarians

farmers

In a move without precedent, Indian farmers have warned all Members of the Indian Parliament in a letter in both Hindi and English, to raise their voices in Parliament to express the demands of the farmers.

The farmers, writing under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) have accused the Union Government of not carrying out the promises made in letter No.Secretary/AFW/2021/Mis/1 dated December 9, 2021, signed by Sanjay Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. The Secretary’s letter urged the farmers to end their agitation.

Starting on November 26, 2020 – significantly, Constitution Day – many thousands of farmers from Punjab and Haryana joined by farmers countrywide, marched peacefully to the Parliament House in Delhi. They were stopped at the borders of Delhi by military-type obstacles and barricades erected by Delhi police. Farmers also peacefully agitated in various State capitals and major cities of India.

The agitation consisted of thousands of farmers from almost all States of the country. The hardy farmers camped under the sky, braving the winter of 2020, the blazing heat of summer, the drenching of the monsoon rains, and the winter of 2021. Sadly, over 400 farmers died due to exposure and the severe privations imposed upon them by the union government, during the 380-days peaceful agitation.

The farmers’ peaceful agitation, which had begun on November 26, 2020, was withdrawn on December 11, 2021, based upon the union government agreeing to withdraw the three farm laws, and upon the promises made by the Union Secretary in his letter of December 9, 2021, acceding to the demands of SKM.

Since the union government has not fulfilled its written promises even 18-months later, SKM has now written a letter to all Members of Parliament across all political parties, reminding them of government’s breach of promise.

The SKM letter has been signed by its 33 constituent farmers’ organizations. In the letter, after re-stating their original demands, the farmers have conveyed their anger to the MPs. Farmers request the MPs to remind the Union Government of its unfulfilled promises by speaking out in Parliament. The SKM letter warns all MPs who fail to raise their voice in support of the farmers, that farmers of different States will mobilize the people in the constituencies of the MPs against the MPs.

Immediately following PM Modi ceremoniously inaugurating the new Parliament building, while at that exact time Delhi police brutally evicted the wrestlers peacefully agitating in Jantar Mantar against the president of the Wrestling Federation of India, many others are agitating elsewhere in our country for People’s genuine causes. It remains to be seen what the uncaring union government will do, and how our nation’s political drama plays out during the 10-months remaining for the national elections.

Maj Gen S.G.Vombatkere can be contacted at <[email protected]>.

*******************************

Full Text of the Statement

Samyukta Kisan Morcha

(List of demands of farmers of India along with a warning)

For

Member of Parliament

Constituency…………………………..

State……………………………

Sub : For raising your voice in the Parliament and your party forums in favor of demands of farmers of India ( demand Charter is below)

Sir/Madam,

As you will be aware, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, in a letter to the Union Government dated 21 November 2021, had drawn the attention of the Government towards its six pending demands. In response to this, on 9 December 2021, Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, wrote a letter (Secretary/AFW/2021/Mis/1) to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha. In this letter, he gave assurance on behalf of the Government on many issues, and urged to withdraw the movement. Relying on this letter of the Government, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha decided to suspend the Morchas on the borders of Delhi and all the protest demonstrations on 11th of December 2021. Today, over twelve months later, the Union Government has not fulfilled the promises made to the farmers. We hereby through this letter request you to raise your voice in favor of our seven demands in the parliament and pressurize the Union Government to take immediate and concrete steps to resolve the pending issues and other issues of the farmers of India which are enlisted below as a demand charter:

 

  1. A law to guarantee MSP for all crops, using the C2 + 50 percent formula, based on the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission. The committee constituted by the Union Government on MSP and its stated terms of reference are contrary to the terms of the SKM. This committee should be dismissed, and a new committee on MSP should be re-constituted, with due representation of farmers, by including representatives of SKM as promised by the Union Government, for legal guarantee of MSP and their purchase of all crops.
  2. Due to rising input costs in agriculture and not getting remunerative prices for their crops, more than 80 percent of the farmers India has been trapped in massive indebtedness, and are forced to commit suicide. In such a situation, we demand to waive off all loans of all the farmers.
  3. The Electricity Amendment Bill, 2022 should be withdraw immediately. In a letter written to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha on 9th December 2021, the Union Government had given a written assurance that, “The Electricity Amendment Bill, 2022 will be introduced in Parliament only after discussion with the Morcha.” Despite this, the Union Government has introduced this bill in the parliament without any discussion.
  4. (i) Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, the main conspirator in the murder of four farmers and a journalist at Tikonia in Lakhimpur Kheri district of UP, be dismissed from the cabinet and arrested and sent to jail.

(ii) The innocent farmers who are imprisoned in the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre be released immediately and the fake cases registered against them should be withdrawn immediately. The Government should fulfill its promise of providing compensation to the families of the injured farmers.

  1. The Government should implement comprehensive and effective crop insurance for all crops to compensate for losses due to drought, flood, excess rain, crop related diseases, etc.
  2. A farmer pension scheme of ₹ 10,000 per month for all medium, small and marginal male and female farmers and agricultural laborers should be implemented.
  3. The fake cases which have been registered against the farmers in BJP ruled states, and other states and Union Territories, during the farmers movement should be withdrawn immediately. Compensation should be paid to the families of all the farmers who were martyred during the farm movement and arrangements should be made for their rehabilitation, and land allocation should be made for the construction of a memorial for the martyred farmers at Singhu Border.

Warning: Through this letter, the Annadata of the country wants to convey its anger to you. We request you to remind the Union Government of its written promises and get the above seven demands of the country’s farmers fulfilled as soon as possible.

If you do not raise your voice in Parliament and your party forums in the favor of our demands, we will be compelled to raise our voice and mobilize the people of your constituency against you. You will not be allowed to hold meetings, rallies, public meetings, programs in your constituency.

Jai Kisan!

We, the people of India, the annadata of the country

Samyukta Kisan Morcha,………………..(Punjab)

Constituent Organizations:

  1. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) General Secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal, Senior Vice President Avtar Singh Mehlon
  2. Kul Hind Kisan Sabha, Punjab Baljit Singh Grewal, General Secretary, Chairman, Roop Basant
  3. Krantikari Kisan Union, Punjab President, Dr. Darshan Pal, General Secretary Gurmeet Singh Mahima
  4. Kirti Kisan Union, Punjab President, Hardev Singh Sandhu, General Secretary Rashpal Singh
  5. Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, Punjab President, Dr. Satnam Singh Ajnala, General Secretary, Kulwant Singh Sandhu
  6. Kul Hindu Kisan Sabha (Ajay Bhavan) President Balkaran Singh Brar, General Secretary Baldev Singh Nihalgarh
  7. Bhartiya Kisan Union, Ekta (Dakonda) President, Buta Singh Burjgil, General Secretary, Jagmohan Singh Patiala
  8. Kirti Kisan Union, President, Nirbhai Singh Dhudike, , Raminder Patiala
  9. Punjab Kisan Union, State President, Ruldu Singh Mansa, General Secretary, Gurnam Singh Bhikhi
  10. Bharatiya Kisan Union, Kadian, State President Harmeet Singh Kadian, General Secretary Veerpal Singh Dhillon
  11. Bharti Kisan Union (Shadipur) Buta Singh Shadipur, State President
  12. Bharatiya Kisan Union, Doaba State President, Manjit Singh Rai, General Secretary Satnam Singh Sahni
  13. Majha Kisan Sangharsh Committee State President Balwinder Singh Raju Aulakh,
  14. Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, State President Satnam Singh Behru
  15. Doaba Kisan Committee, State President Jangveer Singh Chauhan
  16. Doaba Kisan Sangharsh Committee, State President, Mukesh Chandra, General Secretary Balwinder Singh
  17. Kul Hind Kisan Federation, State President, Kiranjit Singh Sekhon
  18. Kisan Bachao Morcha President Kirpa Singh Nathuwala, General Secretary Lakhwinder Singh
  19. Doaba Kisan Union State President Kuldeep Singh Bajidpur, State Secretary Kuldeep Singh Dayala
  20. Bhartiya Kisan Union, Punjab, State President Furman Singh Sandhu
  21. Quami Kisan Union, State President Binder Singh Golewala,
  22. Kirti Kisan Morcha, Ropar, State President Veer Singh Barwa, General Secretary Jagmandeep Singh
  23. Jai Kisan Andolan, Punjab; President, Gurbaksh Singh Barnala
  24. Azad Kisan Committee, Doaba; President, Harbans Singh Sangha
  25. Bhupinder Singh, President of Kandi Area Struggle Committee
  26. Mahila Kisan Union, President, Rajwinder Kaur Raju
  27. Bharatiya Kisan Union, Malwa State President, Maluk Singh Heerke, General Secretary Nachhattar Singh Jaito
  28. Kisan Sangharsh Committee Punjab State President Harjeet Singh Ravi
  29. Kandi Kirsanu Sangharsh Committee President Kuljinder Singh Ghumman
  30. Sabazi Utpadak Kisan Union President Bhupinder Singh Tirthpur
  31. Azad Kisan Sangharsh Committee, (Ekta), Nirvail Singh Daleke, President, Punjab,
  32. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Krantikari) President Surjit Singh Phool, General Secretary Baldev Singh Zira
  33. Azad Kisan Committee, Doaba; President, Harpal Singh Sangha, General Secretary Ranjit Singh

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