Samyukta Kisan Morcha urges President to save agriculture, democracy

On the completion of seven months of the ongoing farmers' agitation, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has sought President Ram Nath Kovind's intervention to 'Save Agriculture and Save Democracy' and in repealing of the three "anti-farm" laws.

The SKM said it will send a memorandum from all over India to the President on June 26, on farmers' "anguish and indignation" to the President about farmers' anguish and indignation and appeal to him regarding getting the farmer laws repealed, and to get a legal guarantee of minimum support price for farmers.

"The Indian society calls us farmers as Annadaatas. In the past 74 years, we put in a lot of hard work as always, and did not leave any stone unturned to make sure that we fulfil our responsibility. When India became independent, we used to feed 33 crore citizens in the country; today, in about the same extent of land, we manage to feed around 140 crore Indians. During the Coronavirus Pandemic, while the other sectors in the economy decelerated and slumped, we achieved record production in agriculture, ensured that our granaries were over-flowing and did so risking our own lives," SKM said in the memorandum.

The farmers' organisation said that in return for this kind of service that we provided to the entire country, the Government of India which "runs" on President's seal of assent, thrust the "three anti-farmer black laws" on farmers which will destroy the farming as well as farmers' future generations. "Laws that will snatch agriculture from our hands and hand over to big corporations," SKM said.

Moreover, the memorandum said the other swords that are handing on farmers heads as well - penalties and jail terms for stubble burning in a new ordinance related to Delhi's air pollution, and subsidy withdrawal through the Electricity Amendments Bill 2020."The three central farm laws are unconstitutional because the Union Government has no authority to make legislation in the area of (agricultural) Markets. These legislations are also undemocratic. Before creating such laws, no consultations and dialogues were held with farmers. Without being asked for and without proper reason, these were brought in covertly in the form of Ordinances," it said.

SKM further said that farmers are in 'deep debt', and in the past 30 years, more than four lakh farmers were compelled to take their own lives in a continuing spate of farm suicides.

"That is the reason why we are demanding that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has to be fixed using the Swaminathan Commission formula of C2 cost+50 per cent, and that such an MSP has to be guaranteed for all farmers in a legal framework. Instead of fulfilling its promises and commitments on this front, the Government of India started a false jumla around 'doubling farmers' incomes by 2022' which is clearly not being achieved, and made you state the same in your speeches, bringing down the dignity of your esteemed position," it reiterated.

Recalling the distress faced by the farmers, SKM said, "in the past seven months, what we witnessed and experienced first hand reminds us of the Emergency period 46 years ago. Today, it is not just the farmers' movement that is facing repression, but the movements of workers, youth and students, women, minority communities, dalits as well as Adivasis. As in the time of the Emergency back then, many true patriots have been put into prisons. Draconian laws like UAPA are being misused against ones who are resisting the authoritarian regime."

Reminding President Kovind of his great responsibility as the custodian of the constitutional framework, the SKM asked him to direct the Union Government to immediately accept the "legitimate demands" of the farmers' movement, and repeal the three anti-farmer laws.

( With inputs from ANI )