SKM gives unity call against Centre

The farm unions will meet in New Delhi on Jan 24 and 25 to chalk out future strategy

- HT Correspondent

MOGA: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 32 farm unions, passed a resolution calling for unity among the farm factions for joint action against the Centre over unfulfilled demands during the second kisan mahapanchayat at Moga on Thursday.

Passing the 'unity resolution', the SKM called for a joint farmers' movement to get the draft of the national policy framework for agricultural marketing scrapped, implementation of the agreed demands of the Delhi morcha, including the creation of a law for legal guarantee of MSP as per recommendations of the Swaminathan report, debt relief of farmers, labourers and to redress other issues of the cultivators.

In the first kisan mahapanchayat organised at Haryana's Tohana on January 4, a resolution was passed against the draft agricultural marketing policy.

The SKM is not part of the 'Dilli Chalo' protest, spearheaded by SKM (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

SKM leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan while reading the resolution said they have prepared a proposal for joint action by the SKM, SKM (non-political), Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

"A joint action of farmers against the central government's draft national policy framework for agricultural marketing is needed. The farmer unions need to put all their energy into making this agitation a national level. It should be accepted that there should be joint demands, a joint goal of the agitation and coordination among farmers," Ugrahan said.

Besides Ugrahan, the mahapanchayat was also addressed by Balbir Singh Rajewal, Rakesh Tikait, Dr Darshan Pal and Raminder Patiala.

Panel to meet leaders at Khanauri, Shambhu