Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Nationwide protest to be organised on March 21 over role of government in matter, says SKM

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Monday said that the farmers will observe (Maximum Selling Price) MSP guarantee week from April 11 to 17. The farmers' union body said that a nationwide protest will be organised on March 21 over the role of the government in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and the betrayal of the assurances given to the farmers' movement.

Today, a day-long meeting of SKM to review the progress made so far by the Centre on the promises made to farmers, including setting up a panel on MSP, and decide the future course of action was held in Delhi.

The SKM had spearheaded a year-long agitation against the Centre's three farm laws. It had suspended the stir on December 9 last year after the government revoked the contentious laws and agreed to consider its six other demands, including withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during the agitation, a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) and compensation for kin of farmers who died during the protest.

According to an SKM functionary, the agenda of the meeting is to review the progress made on the assurance letter given by the government on December 9, 2021, to the SKM, the national action plan on the issue of MSP and in the Lakhimpur Kheri case.

A scheme for building a memorial for the farmers who died during the agitation against the agricultural laws will also be discussed during the meeting, he said.

"A roadmap will be decided to pressure the central government to ensure a legal guarantee on minimum support price and the fulfilment of other demands," he added.

Internal issues of the SKM such as rules and regulations, the current status of funds and a decision on farmers' unions that contested the Punjab Assembly polls will also be discussed during the meeting.

(with agency inputs)

Published on: Monday, March 14, 2022, 07:10 PM IST