Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of farmer unions, will hold protests in every part of the country against the three contentious farm laws introduced by the Centre, hold meetings, and campaign in poll-bound states if they are not rolled back, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait told reporters on Sunday. Tikait's announcement comes a day prior to the Bharat Bandh which was announced by the farmers body earlier this month.
“The Government of India should repeal the three farm laws at the earliest. If not, Samyukt Kisan Morcha will go to every part of the country, hold meetings and protests against the Central government and campaign in poll-bound states,” Tikait said.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has called for a 10-hour long Bharat Bandh on Monday to mark a year of the three controversial farm laws introduced by the Centre. "A Bharat Bandh has been called on September 27. The top priority is to ensure the success of this bandh. After this, the SKM will take a call on the future course of action for the protest. The BKU will continue its fight for the farmers," SKM spokesperson Saurabh Upadhyay told reporters.
With the Congress already extending full support to the protest, now Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Andhra Pradesh's Telegu Desam Party (TDP) also have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh called by the national level farmers' associations.
The farmer body also said, "All emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies will be exempted."
The Kisan morcha claims Bharat bandh will be enforced in a voluntary and peaceful manner.
SKM has appealed to the political forces, who support the demands of the farmers to repeal the three farm laws, cancel the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and grant legal right to MSP for all crops as per the Swaminathan formula.
Transport and markets are expected to remain shut on a large scale. Additionally, protests will also be held against the continuous rise of LPG and petrol-diesel prices.
The Centre has so far held 11 rounds of talks with the farmer but the talks have brought forth no solution as the farmer unions insist on repeal and the government continues to claim that the laws are pro-farmer.
