Samyukta Kisan Morcha Press Release: 17 April, 2022
On the call of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the MSP Guarantee Week was observed from April 11th to 17th by the farmers across the country — Protests, demonstrations, meets, conventions, seminars and other programs were held across the country
Despite SKM’s repeated requests for clarifications regarding the committee on MSP, vis-à-vis its composition, its mandate, its tenure, and its terms of reference, the government has failed to reply
Samyukta Kisan Morcha expresses grave concerns regarding the attacks on the witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri murder case — The Morcha expresses its faith in the Supreme Court judgement due tomorrow, in the plea against the bail to the main accused Ashish Teni (Monu), and hopes that the farmers will get justice in the case
Samyukta Kisan Morcha reiterates its demand for the legal guarantee of minimum support price based on Swaminathan Commission Report
On the call of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the MSP Guarantee Week was observed from April 11th to 17th by the farmers across the country. Throughout the week, protests, demonstrations, meets, conventions, seminars and other programs were held across the country. Farmers came together to register their demand for the legal guarantee of the minimum support price.
According to the reports, the MSP Guarantee Week was observed in every states, with programs in support of the demand for the legal guarantee of the MSP. In Punjab, programs were held and memorandum to the Prime Minister was submitted in every district. The farm unions of Punjab will also observe the MSP Guarantee Week on April 18th. Similarly, in Haryana, MSP guarantee week was observed with great enthusiasm in every district.
In Madhya Pradesh, today, a Kisan Mahapanchayat was held in Teonthar, which was addressed by several SKM leaders. A Jal Satyagraha for MSP was organized between April 11th to 17th, and which went through Mangawan, Mauganj, Deotalab, Gurh, Sirmour, Jawa, and Teonthar. Another Kisan Mahapanchayat was held in Khategaon, Dewas on April 15th. A convention was held in Barwani on April 12th. In Sagar district, an MSP Awareness campaign was organized during the MSP Guarantee Week. Programs were also held in Chhindwara, Seoni, Sehore, Harda, and Hoshangabad. In Chattisgarh, program for the demand of legal guarantee of MSP were held in Raipur, Gariaband, Durg Balod, among other districts.
In Bihar, programs were held in various districts including Siwan, Rohtas, Sitamadhi, and Patna. On 16th April, farm unions of Bihar met in Patna, where the plan for broadening of farm movement in Bihar, and raising the issue of the legal guarantee of MSP and other local issues were discussed. Farm unions also laid out a plan for Kisan Conventions in seven divisions/districts of Bihar, in the upcoming weeks. In Odisha, programs were held in Keonjhar, Puri, Sundargarh districts.
In Karnataka, seminars for the demand of MSP were held in Tumkur, and Mysore. Protests were also held in the grain markets in Tumkur and Mysore. In Tamil Nadu, programs were held in Chennai, Tutukorin, Kovilpatti, Ettayapuram among other districts. Today, a seminar on the subject of MSP was also held in Chennai. More reports are still coming.
The legal guarantee of minimum support price based on Swaminathan Commission Report, i.e. one and a half times the comprehensive cost (C2), was one of the key demands of the farm movement, and discussion of which was one of the assurances made to the SKM by the Union Government in its letter dated 9th December, 2021. Despite SKM’s repeated requests for clarifications regarding the committee on MSP, vis-à-vis its composition, its mandate, its tenure, and its terms of reference, the government has failed to reply. Samyukta Kisan Morcha urges the Agriculture Minister to send the government’s clarification at the earliest so that the Morcha can decide whether to participate in this committee. SKM had earlier stated that it will not join the committee without clarity regarding the nature and agenda of the committee. With the conclusion of the MSP Guarantee Week, farmers have now vowed to start a long agitation for the legal guarantee of the MSP.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha expresses grave concerns regarding the attacks on the witnesses in the Lakhimpur Kheri murder case. While the farmers are being implicated in false cases and arrested, and the witnesses are being attacked, the culprits are roaming free. The Morcha expresses its faith in the Supreme Court judgement due tomorrow, in the plea against the bail to the main accused Ashish Teni (Monu), and hopes that the farmers will get justice in the case.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha reiterates its demand for the legal guarantee of minimum support price based on Swaminathan Commission Report, and calls upon the farmers of the nation to come together in this fight, and start preparation for a nationwide agitation for the MSP.
Issued by –
Dr Darshan Pal, Hannan Mollah, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Shivkumar Sharma ‘Kakkaji’, Yudhvir Singh, Yogendra Yadav
