Farmers to mobilise in huge numbers on November 26 to mark a year of farmers’ struggle: SKM

KEY STORY 

• The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will mobilise farmers in huge numbers on November 26 to mark one year of struggle against the three contentious farm laws.

• The SKM, an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions leading the stir, further announced that 500 selected farmer volunteers will move to Parliament everyday in tractors during the upcoming winter session of Parliament.

• In an official statement, the kisan body said, “SKM meeting at Singhu Border today decided to observe one year of farmers’ struggle on and after November 26 massively all over the country, at borders and in Delhi.”

• “There will be huge mobilisations from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan at all Delhi borders,” it added.

• The SKM has also called for massive mahapanchayats in state capitals on November 26.

• Talking about the upcoming winter session of Parliament, which starts on November 29, the SKM said it has decided that on and from November 29 until the end of this Parliament session, 500 selected farmer volunteers will move every day to Parliament in tractor trollies peacefully and with full discipline.

• This will be done to “‘increase the pressure” on the central government “to force it to concede the demands for which farmers across the country have launched a historic struggle”, it said.

• The Winter session of Parliament will begin on November 29 and go on till December 23rd.

• The three laws – The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 – were passed by Parliament in September last year.

• Farmer groups have alleged that these laws will end the mandi and MSP procurement systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporations. They are demanding a repeal of the three laws and a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price.

• The government has rejected their apprehensions as misplaced and has projected the laws as major reforms.