Farmers To Resume Agitation If The Centre Fails To Deliver On Its Pledges

Farmers would have no choice but to resume their agitation if the Indian government continues to break pledges made to protesting farmers in December 2021, according to a memorandum sent to the President on Monday by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM). 

The memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind noted that it is the President's constitutional role to safeguard the interests of Annadata farmers, who make up the majority of the country's population, and warned the government against defrauding the farmers. Because to the farmers' efforts, the country has become self-sufficient in food grains, according to the memorandum. 

"Despite the lockdown and the economic slump, the country's agricultural production rose steadily thanks to the farmers' relentless efforts. It went on to say that "playing tricks on farmers may be terrible for the entire country." 

On Monday, protests, marches, and effigy burnings were held in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Tripura, among other states, in response to the government's alleged reneging on promises made to farmers during the historic Kisan Andolan of 2020 

According to the memorandum, none of the promises made by the Government of India in a letter to Samyukta Kisan Morcha dated December 9, 2021 have been fulfilled. 

The Morcha advised the BJP administration not to test the farmers' patience, saying that if the promises were not kept as soon as possible, the farmers would be left with no choice but to continue their protest. 

While addressing SKM's demand for constitutionally guaranteed MSP, the memorandum also accused the government of continuing to spread lies about the present MSP (announcement) system. "The cost notion remained to be A2+Family Labour, ignoring the C2 cost of production and depriving farmers their rightful entitlement," it stated. 

It is likewise untrue to argue that crop diversity has occurred as a result of the hollow promises of meagre MSPs. Farmers, on the other hand, are aware that diversification is feasible if MSP is legally guaranteed as an entitlement for all crops, including oilseeds, millets, and pulses, according to the memorandum. 

Meanwhile, the SKM has taken note of the Central Trade Unions' warning that the countrywide walkout would be moved from February 23-24 to March 28-29 due to the upcoming elections. "SKM completely accepts and supports the trade unions' appeal, stands in solidarity with workers and labourers across India, and will have a rural strike on March 28th and 29th," it added. 

A press conference to discuss the new phase of "Mission Uttar Pradesh" was also announced in the memorandum. 

"The Morcha will continue Mission Uttar Pradesh and campaign across the state to punish and destroy the BJP, as previously announced. On February 3, the mission's new phase will be unveiled during a press conference "It was said.