News Analysis India

Tag: Samyukta Kisan Morcha

  • SKM to probe allegation that farmer leaders were aware of sexual assault of Bengal activist

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Monday said it will probe the allegations that some of its leaders were aware of the reported sexual assault of a woman activist at Tikri border protest site, who later died due to COVID-19 at a private hospital in Haryana.

    “We have seen reports on television that some farmer leaders at Tikri border were aware about the assault and they did not take any action. We cannot confirm these reports at present, but we assure you that we will probe these allegations and take strict action,” farmer leader Yogendra Yadav said at a virtual press conference.

    The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) had on Sunday said that it had zero tolerance towards violence against women amidst reports that the woman activist from West Bengal was sexually assaulted on her way to join the farmers protest and later at Tikri border by some persons posing to be “Kisan Social Army” members.

    “She was assaulted by some of these persons on the way to Delhi and after reaching Tikri border. A week later, she developed high fever and was found COVID-19 positive. She was admitted to a private hospital in Bahadurgah. Sadly, on April 30, she passed away due to COVID-19,” it had said.

    Laying down the timeline of events, Yadav said the farmers outfit came to know about the alleged assault only after the victim’s father, who was also present in the press conference, came to meet them on May 2.

    “The father reached Delhi on April 29 and met the woman, who was in a critical condition. She told him the details of the assault before passing away on April 30,” he said.

    Yadav added that on May 3, SKM held a meeting with its Tikri border members and it was decided that the accused would be brought to justice.

    However, the decision to file an FIR was left with the victim’s father.

    “The father filed the FIR on May 8 accusing two men. The Haryana police, however, have listed six names in the FIR, including two who were present as witnesses. We want the police to conduct an impartial investigation, but how will they build a case if they will name the witnesses as accused?” the farmer leader asked.

    The SKM has maintained that the Kisan Social Army was never the authorised social media voice of the farmers group and none of its handles have anything to do with the movement.

    Responding to a report that farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni is related to one of the accused, Yadav said the farmers body cannot confirm it yet.

    “We cannot confirm whether the accused is related to Gurnam Singh. But once we know the reality, it will not be taken lightly,” he added.

    Farmer leader Hannan Mollah said that taking note of safety concerns for women protestors, the SKM has decided to form a committee.

    “This incident has raised safety concerns for hundreds of our women protestors. So we have decided to form a committee as per the laws to protect the dignity of women, wherein any women can register such complaints. And the committee will have full support of the SKM and we will make sure the accused will be dealt with,” Mollah said.

    The Haryana Police had on Sunday formed a special investigation team to probe the case.

    Several farmers are protesting against the farm laws at border points of Delhi, including Tikri and Singhu, since November last year.

  • Bengal activist on way to farmers’ protest site raped, dies due to COVID complications

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Sunday said it had zero tolerance towards violence against women amidst reports that a woman activist from West Bengal on her way to join the farmers protest was assaulted and subsequently died of COVID-19 related complications.

    In a statement, the outfit said, the incident of sexual harassment and assault against the woman has been reported on social media sites, and the farmers group wanted to make it clear that strict action has been taken against those found guilty.

    “The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) makes it abundantly clear that it stands with the struggle for justice for our deceased woman colleague. SKM has already taken strict action against the accused in this case and we are committed to take this fight for justice to its logical conclusion,” it said.

    The farmers group said the case concerns the 26-year-old woman who came from West Bengal along with some persons posing to be “Kisan Social Army” members.

    “She was assaulted by some of these persons on the way to Delhi and after reaching Tikri border. A week later, she developed high fever and was found COVID-19 positive. She was admitted to a private hospital in Bahadurgah. Sadly, on April 30, she passed away due to COVID-19.”

    “When this came to the notice of the SKM, we decided to take strictest possible action. Four days ago, the Tikri committee of SKM had already removed the tents and banners of the so called ‘Kisan Social Army’.

    “The accused were also barred from participating in the movement and public appeal was issued for their social boycott,” the statement stated.

    The SKM added that the Kisan Social Army was never the authorised social media voice of the farmers group and none of its handles have anything to do with the movement.

    Meanwhile, the Haryana Police on Sunday formed a special investigation team after the woman’s father alleged she was raped when she had gone to the border point with some members of an outfit supporting the protest against the Centre’s new farm laws.

    Six people, including the two prime accused, have been named in an FIR registered in the case following a complaint from the father on Saturday, an official said.

    Several farmers are protesting against the farm laws at border points of Delhi, including Tikri and Singhu, since November last year.

  • Protesting farmers to celebrate May Day as Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Diwas

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Farmers protesting at Delhi borders against the Centre’s new agri laws will celebrate May Day as Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Diwas, a statement from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha said on Friday.

    The Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) is an umbrella body of farm unions that is spearheading the agitation.

    The farmers celebrated the 400th birth anniversary of the ninth Guru of Sikhs Sri Tegh Bahadur on Friday.

    “It has been more than five months since farmers have been sitting on the borders of Delhi. The central government is forcibly imposing laws on the farmers. Taking inspiration from Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, the farmers are fighting,” the statement said.

    Religious organizations, including farmer leaders, called for strengthening the protest by joining in any form.

    It was decided in the joint meeting of the SKM and Central Trade Unions that May Day would be celebrated as Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Divas on May 1.

    “Tomorrow, the workers and farmers will jointly challenge the government strongly on all protest sites,” the statement said.

    Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur demanding a complete repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee for the minimum support price on their crops since November last year.

  • ‘Farmer unions ready to discuss agri laws with Centre but it has to be about repealing those’: Tikait

    Tikait, who has in recent months addressed a series of farmers #39; gatherings across Haryana, said the tillers have been agitating for more than five months near various borders of the national capital.

  • Government trying to use COVID as excuse to quell protest against agri laws, allege farmer leaders

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Farmer unions protesting the Centre’s three contentious farm laws at Delhi’s borders alleged on Monday the government was trying to “use coronavirus as an excuse to quell their agitation”.

    The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a joint forum of farmer unions, also said the date for their proposed march to Parliament is yet to be decided.

    “The government is trying to use coronavirus as an excuse to quell farmers’ protest. They used the same trick last year. We will not let it happen,” farmer leader Yogendra Yadav alleged during a press conference at Delhi’s Singhu border.

    He said, “The government’s hypocrisy on coronavirus has been exposed. Ministers and leaders have been holding election rallies. They have no right to question others.”

    Yadav said immunisation camps were being set up at all farmer protest sites for those willing to take the vaccine jabs.

    Oxymeters and ambulances are being arranged, health facilities are being ramped up, he said.

    An an awareness campaign will be conducted to encourage farmers to weak mask and a pamphlet on measures to keep virus at bay will be distributed, Yadav said.

    Another leader said the farmers protest sites at Delhi’s border have not reported “coronavirus cases in large numbers” so far.

    “These are open, well ventilated spaces. These protest sites are not COVID-19 hotspots,” he said.

  • Government should start vaccination centres at protest sites: Farmers’ union

    Samyukta Kisan Morcha even asked farmers protesting at the various border points of Delhi to wear masks and follow necessary COVID-19 guidelines to stem the spread of the virus.

  • ‘Farmers ready to talk if government invites, no change in demands’: Rakesh Tikait

    By PTI
    GHAZAIBAD: Farmers protesting the contentious new farm laws are ready to talk if the Centre invites them, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said on Sunday, maintaining that the dialogue would resume where it had ended on January 22 and the demands remain unchanged.

    He said for the talks to resume, the government should invite the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body representing the protestors who are camping at the three border points of Delhi at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur since November 2020.

    “The talks with the government would resume from the same point where it had ended on January 22. The demands are also the same — all three ‘black’ farm laws should be repealed, a new law made to ensure MSP (minimum support price) for crops,” Tikait was quoted as saying in a statement issued by BKU media in-charge Dharmendra Malik.

    The BKU national spokesperson’s remarks came in response to Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij urging Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to resume talks with protesting farmers amid the coronavirus scare looming large.

    Maintaining that a surge in the coronavirus cases is being seen across the country and the situation is turning bad in Haryana too, Vij said he is worried about the farmers protesting on the state borders with Delhi.

    The protestors and the government last had a formal dialogue over the contentious issue on January 22 but the impasse continued.

    On January 26, the protestors had carried out a ‘tractor parade’ in Delhi which had escalated into a violence involving farmers and the police in the national capital.

  • Agri laws: Haryana police asks travellers to avoid KMPE on April 10 to avoid blockade by farmers

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: Haryana Police has issued a traffic advisory asking travellers to avoid Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway on Saturday to avoid a 24-hour blockade, the call for which has been given by farmers protesting against the Centre’s farm laws.

    The farmers have threatened to block the Expressway for 24 hours from 8.00 am on April 10.

    While giving the blockade call earlier this month, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha had also said farmers will also march to Parliament in May.

    The travellers should avoid the KMP expressway during the blockade period, the traffic advisory said.

    Haryana’s Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Navdeep Singh Virk on Friday said elaborate arrangements have been put in place to maintain peace and order, prevent any kind of violence and facilitate the traffic and public transport on this important expressway.

    Owing to the likely mass gathering of farmers during the proposed blockade on the KMP expressway, all senior police officers, including additional director generals, inspector generals, commissioners and superintendents of police have been instructed to ensure maintenance of law and order with minimum inconvenience to the general public.

    Besides, proper traffic diversions had already been planned by the affected districts especially Sonipat, Jhajjar, Panipat, Rohtak, Palwal, Faridabad, Gurugram and Nuh, Virk said in a statement.

    He added that all citizens are being informed about these arrangements in advance so that they can plan and modify their journey to avoid any inconvenience.

    Concerned districts have also been asked to issue local advisories in this regard, he said, adding smooth traffic, however, continues on all other routes across the state.

    Virk said passengers coming from Ambala/Chandigarh side on the National Highway-44 may go towards UP Ghaziabad and Noida via Karnal to Shamli and from Panipat to Sanauli.

    Similarly, vehicles going towards Gurugram and Jaipur can take National Highway-71A from Panipat and travel via Gohana, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Rewari.

    Virk said maintaining law and order is the priority of the police.

    No person would be allowed to take the law in their hands and strict action would be taken against those who try to disrupt the law and order, he said.

    Also, all precautionary steps are being taken to ensure the convenience of citizens and travellers coming from outside, he added.

    Hundreds of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at three border points of Delhi — Singhu, Tikri (along Haryana), and Ghazipur — demanding a repeal of the three farm laws enacted by the Centre in September last year.

    The Centre says the new farm laws will free farmers from middlemen, giving them more options to sell their crops.

    The protesting farmers, however, say the laws will weaken the minimum support price (MSP) system and leave them at the mercy of big corporates.

  • Agri laws: SC-appointed panel submits report; highway blockade, Parliament march on cards for protesting farmers

    Express News Service
    CHANDIGARH: Protesting farmers have firmed up their agitation schedule for April-May. On April 10, they plan to block the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) expressway, almost a month ahead of their march to Parliament in May.

    The general body meeting of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) was held on Monday at Singhu border.

    “On April 5, the farmers will lay a siege to the FCI offices across the country. On April 10, the KMP expressway will be blocked for 24 hours from 11 am and on April 13, the festival of Baisakhi will be celebrated at Delhi borders,’’ said Morcha leader Darshan Pal.

    “Our action is meant to wake up the government,’’ he added.

    “We’ll mark April 14 the birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar as the Samvidhan Bachao Divas. On May 1, we’ll mark Mazdoor Day on the borders of Delhi. The day will be dedicated to farmer-labourer unity,’’ said Pal.

    He said the day of the march to Parliament would be decided later.

    “Farmers, labourers, women, Dalit-Adivasi-Bahujans, unemployed youths and every section of the society will be a part of this march. People will come in their own vehicles from villages to the borders of Delhi. After this, a foot march will be undertaken,’’ said the Morcha leader.

    “We will form a committee to let the protesters know what to do in case there is police action during the march,’’ he said.

    Pal alleged that SKM farmer leaders, who held the banner ‘No vote for BJP/NDA’ in the Kerala capital, were thrashed by BJP and RSS workers.

    “We strongly condemn it,’’ he said. The Morcha also released a document explaining ‘what is black in these (farm) laws’.

    The Supreme Court-appointed committee to study the three new controversial agricultural laws has submitted its report to the apex court on March 19 in a sealed cover, one of its members said on Wednesday.

    The Supreme Court had on January 11 stayed the implementation of the three laws till further orders and appointed a four-member panel to resolve the impasse.

    The committee was given two months to study the laws and consult all stakeholders.

    “We submitted the report on March 19 in a sealed cover. Now, the court will decide the future course of action,” one of the members of the committee P K Mishra told PTI.

    As per the committee’s official website, the panel held total 12 rounds of consultations with various stakeholders, including farmers groups, farmer-producer organisations (FPOs) procurement agencies, professionals, academicians, private as well as state agriculture marketing boards.

    The panel also held nine internal meetings before finalising the report.

    Apart from Mishra, Shetkari Sanghatana President Anil Ghanwat and agri-economist and former chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) Ashok Gulati are other members of the panel.

    The fourth member, Bhartiya Kisan Union President Bhupinder Singh Mann, had, however, recused himself from the committee before the work began.

    Separately, while briefing Cabinet decisions, Food Minister Piyush Goyal said that while the new farm laws have been brought in the interest of farmers, it is a different issue “some people have misled farmers and tried to create a negative atmosphere”.

    However, farmers across the country now understand that the new farm laws do not take away the existing system of mandis, and provide more marketing options, he said.

    Goyal also explained that the government’s main concern when the new farm laws were passed in Parliament was how to increase farmers’ income and what steps should be taken to open more avenues to ensure their income rises.

    In the new farm laws, the government kept the existing option of selling farmers’ produce in the APMC mandis intact and provided for other marketing options to ensure better returns to farmers besides creating jobs and attracting investment in the farm sector, he said.

    While giving other marketing options, the government has carefully designed it to ensure farmers’ land is protected and they do not sell their produce under compulsion for lesser price to a trader, he added.

    Goyal was one of the central ministers who was present in the last 12 rounds of meetings held with protesting farmers’ unions to end the impasse.

    In its last meeting on January 22, the government had offered to suspend the laws for 18 months which the protesting farmers have rejected.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Kisan Morcha appeals to citizens to make Bharat Bandh successful; Tikait warns Centre

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a front of protesting farmer unions, on Wednesday appealed to the citizens of the country to make the March 26 Bharat Bandh a complete success.

    According to a statement released by the SKM, farmers have been protesting on the borders of Delhi for the last four months and instead of accepting their demands, the government is discrediting them completely.

    The SKM has called for a Bharat Bandh on Friday.

    On March 26, from 6 am to 6 pm, all road and rail transport, markets and other public places will be closed across the country, it said.

    However, this is not necessary for the places where elections are going to be held, the statement said.

    “We appeal to the people of the country to make this Bharat Bandh a success and honour their ‘Annadata’,” farmer leader Darshan Pal said.

    Farmers organized programmes across the country on Martyrdom Day on Tuesday.

    A torch procession was taken out at Bhatgaon, Sonipat, in Haryana.

    In Ashok Nagar, Madhya Pradesh, young people wrote slogans of “Inquilab Zindabad” with their blood and organised a blood donation camp, the statement said.

    Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday said the farmers’ agitation will continue till the time the Centres rolls back the farm laws and provides legal guarantee on MSP.

    Referring to cases registered against many farmers in the aftermath of incidents on January 26 in Delhi, Tikait said, “Farmers are not scared of cases. This agitation will continue so long the Centre does not withdraw these laws and till the time a law is framed giving legal guarantee on MSP.”

    “This agitation will go till November-December,” he said, while making it clear that the government should not be mistaken that farmers were going anywhere.

    “The government thinks farmers will return home in summer. Earlier they thought we would go back home in peak winter. But we are not going anywhere, we have installed fans etc there,” he said, addressing a farmers ‘Mahapanchayat’ here.

    Anyone helping farmers in their agitation is facing harassment from government agencies, he alleged.

    Claiming that the farm laws were not in favour of farmers, Tikait said the next target of the Centre is to create such a situation that “farmers will eventually leave their land”.

    “It is their plan to take away your land in the next 20 years,” he added.

    “Their target is to turn farmers into labourers, and once that happens they will get cheap labourers from villages for factories,” Tikait said.

    He also thanked farmers of Haryana and ‘khaps’ (caste council) of the state for supporting this agitation.

    Tikait also called upon the farmers to be ready to move towards Delhi whenever required.

    Hundreds of farmers are camping near Delhi’s borders since November last year demanding that the Centre repeal the three contentious farm laws.

    The farmer leader said that a nationwide movement against the farm laws has started and the youth have a big responsibility now.

    Tikait said the country will be saved when slogans of “Jai Ram” and “Jai Bhim” are raised together.

    Enacted in September 2020, the three farm laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

    The protesting farmers, on the other hand, have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of the minimum support price and do away with the “mandi” (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

    A meeting was organised at the collectorate chaired by ADM (City) Shailendra Kumar Singh on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by farmers’ unions on March 26, officials said.

    Participation in the countrywide ‘Bharat Bandh’ call given by the farmers’ unions on March 26 against the three farm laws would be optional for the traders, according to a few office-bearers.

    General Secretary of Mahanagar Vyapar Mandal Ashok Chawla told PTI that the association would remain neutral during the ‘Bharat Bandh’.

    No association would force anybody to close their shops or compel them to keep it open as traders are free to take decisions on their own, Chawla added.

    In the meeting, all the problems regarding COVID-19, ‘Bharat Bandh’ and deposition of arms licenses during panchayat elections were discussed, he further said.