The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella organisation of about 500 farmers’ outfits, has called for grameen bandh (rural strike) on February 16 against the farm policies of the Centre.
The All India Convention of the SKM, held in Jalandhar on Tuesday, also decided to seek alternative policies in the farm sector based on production cooperatives and other people-centric models. The SKM is also holding a meeting with central trade unions on Wednesday to consider the possibility of an industrial strike too on February 16.
At the meeting, the members appealed farmers “to punish the pro-corporate, anti-farmer BJP government” at the Centre by voting against the NDA in the general election. The SKM alleged that the Centre has formulated and implemented policies to deliberately worsen the economic condition of farmers.
A declaration adopted at the convention demanded an alternative policy of agriculture and agro-based industrial development away from the “clutches of corporate monopolies”. It demanded public investment, producer cooperatives and other people-centric models so that farmers get remunerative price, workers get wages for dignified life and social security including pension for all sections of people is achieved.
Apart from implementing the MS Swaminathan Committee report on minimum support price (MSP), the convention reiterated the demand for dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni and a registration of case on him for the murder of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, comprehensive loan waiver to small and middle farm households, crop Insurance in the public sector, etc.
Balbeer Singh Rajewal, the leader of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal), reunited with SKM and attended the convention. He had broken away from the SKM to form SKM (non-political) earlier.
