Source : INDIATV NEWS
Farmers in Punjab are gearing up to hold a protest on the occasion of Lohri on Monday by burning copies of the draft of the new farm market policy. As per the information, this move is part of their ongoing resistance to the policy. The protest is expected to witness participation from members of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and SKM Non-Political — both of which are already demonstrating at the Khanauri and Shambhu borders.
Additionally, a key meeting to discuss the joint strategy is scheduled on Monday in Patran, where SKM’s six-member committee and farmer leaders from SKM Non-Political are set to deliberate on the next steps. Meanwhile, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a prominent farmer leader, has been on a hunger strike for the last 48 days. His prolonged fast shows the deep dissatisfaction and determination among the farmers to resist the implementation of the draft policy, as per farmer leaders. 70-year-old Dallewal has also written to several religious leaders and saints, urging them to impress upon the Central government to accept farmers’ demands, which include a legal guarantee to minimum support price for crops.
Farmer unions argue that the proposed agricultural market policy threatens the existing mandi system and could have adverse effects on their livelihoods. The symbolic burning of the draft on Lohri, a festival celebrated with bonfires, is expected to draw attention to their cause, they added.
Farmers’ demands
Besides a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in the electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Farmers under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and KMM have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
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