SKM asserts that the significant success of the recent nation-wide protest-demonstration before all Raj Bhawans jointly by SKM & Trade Unions has made Modi Govt. nervous; hence the backlash by illegal uses of Investigative Agencies & Delhi Police against farmer leaders. It said that any effort to paint the Farmers’ Struggle as anti-national or foreign-funded or supported by terrorist forces, as is being attempted by the Modi Government, is anti-people, anti-national and will be futile; the whole nation will reject such nefarious effort to dishonour and criminalise the annadatas of India.

By Groundxero

Dec 02, 2023

SKM leader and General Secretary of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Yudhvir Singh was arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport at 2 am on 29th November 2023 on the ground that he is an accused in cases relating to Farmers Struggle in Delhi of 2020-21. Veerender Singh Hudda, a BKU leader from Rohtak, Haryana has received notice from the Delhi Police on 22nd November 2023, directing him to appear on a case relating to FIR No. 522/2020 dated 26.11.2020. On 7th December 2022, Arjun Baliyan of BKU was prevented at New Delhi Airport from travelling to Nepal. Many other farmer leaders are facing legal proceedings in Courts relating to the historic  Farmers’ Struggle.

The SKM in Press statement issued today stated that despite written promises and assurances made to SKM and to the whole nation through Parliament, the Modi Govt. has unleashed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against the farmer leaders, and the NIA has issued Look Out Circulars (LOCs) against SKM leaders in cases related to Farmers’ Struggle at Delhi.

SKM has warned the Modi Govt. that any move to unleash vengeance against the Farmers Movement will be confronted through massive and peaceful modes of struggles all over India. SKM has called upon farmers, agricultural workers and rural workers to undertake widest possible preparations to further intensify the ongoing struggle on the 21-point demand charter including demands of MSP@C2+50%, Comprehensive Loan Waiver, Repeal of 4 Labour Codes, Withdraw Electricity Bill 2022 and No to Privatisation.

SKM will undertake a campaign among farmers and farm-workers on this very serious development and SKM Delegations will meet District Collectors on 11th December 2023 and submit Letter to the President of India, demanding no act of vengeance be allowed against the Farmers Movement.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM)

Press Release | 2nd December, 2023

SKM ANNOUNCES ACTION PROGRAM TO TAKE-ON ILLEGAL TACTICS OF MODI GOVT TO TO SUPPRESS FARMERS MOVEMENT

• Illegal Detention and Travel Ban on SKM Council Member and Farmer Leader Yudhvir Singh & Implicating SKM Leaders in Criminal Cases Violates Solemn Promises Made by Union Govt. to SKM

• SKM Leadership Will Submit Memorandum for Redressal to President of India & Home Secretary; Nation-wide Protest & Submission of Memorandum through District Collectors on 11th December 2023

• Success of Nation-wide Protest-Demonstration by SKM & Trade Unions has Made Modi Govt. Nervous, Hence the Backlash by Illegal Use of Investigative Agencies & Delhi Police Against Farmer Leaders

• Any Vengeful Action Against Farmers Movement Will be Confronted through Massive and Peaceful Mass Struggle

Delhi, 2nd December, 2023: SKM has taken note of the following:

1) SKM leader and General Secretary of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Yudhvir Singh had been arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport at 2 am on 29th November 2023 on the ground that he is an accused in cases relating to Farmers Struggle in Delhi of 2020-21. He missed his flight to Columbia to attend an International Farmers Conference. Later in the day, due to the strong protest from the farmers movements, Delhi Police was forced to release him.

2)  Veerender Singh Hudda, a BKU leader from Rohtak, Haryana received notice from the Delhi Police on 22nd November 2023, directing him to appear on a case relating to FIR No. 522/2020 dated 26.11.2020. Again, in the face of determined protest by farmers, Delhi Police was forced to publicly announce that the notice has been withdrawn.

3) On 7th December 2022, Arjun Baliyan of BKU was prevented at New Delhi Airport from travelling to Nepal.

4) SKM leaders from Punjab, Satnam Singh Behru and Harinder Singh Lokowal are facing legal proceedings in the Patiala House Courts at Delhi relating to Delhi Farmers’ Struggle.

SKM has also taken note that:

1) the Union Govt. through a letter dated 9th December 2021 signed by Sanjay Aggarwal, Secretary to Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, had categorically stated that the state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana have fully agreed to immediately withdraw all the cases related with the Farmers’ Struggle. Further, the Union Govt. and its agencies and administrations of Union Territories had also agreed to withdraw all cases related to Farmers’ struggle and the Union Govt. would request all other state governments too to withdraw cases against the Farmers’ Struggle. (Letter Attached)

2) In the answer to Question No. 1158 dated 19th December 2022 raised in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar had replied that as per the reports received in the Home Ministry, the proposal to withdraw 86 cases against farmers have come up and the Home Ministry has permitted to do so. Apart from this, the Railway Ministry has given direction to withdraw all cases registered against farmers by the Railway Protection Force. (Answer Attached)Despite these solemn written promises and assurances made to SKM and to the whole nation through Parliament, SKM has come to learn that the Modi Govt. has unleashed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against the farmer leaders and NIA has issued Look Out Circulars (LOCs) against SKM leaders in cases related to Farmers’ Struggle at Delhi. SKM demands the Union Home Minister Amit Shah be transparent and make all LOCs public.

The current modus operandi of implicating farmer leaders in criminal cases is a flagrant violation of the solemn promise made by the Modi Govt. to SKM. SKM strongly rebuffs such move and demands that Home Minister Amit Shah explain why NIA and other investigating agencies are being used to violate the promise made by the Union Govt.

The Farmers’ Struggle at Delhi was a spontaneous peoples’ upsurge to protect the interest of farmers and agricultural workers and rural poor against the imposition of corporatisation of agriculture under the domestic and foreign corporate capital. It was a patriotic movement alike the struggle for independence against the British colonial rule. Any effort to paint the Farmers’ Struggle as anti-national or foreign-funded or supported by terrorist forces, as is being attempted by the Modi Government, is anti-people, anti-national and will be futile; the whole nation will reject such nefarious effort to dishonour and criminalise the annadatas of India.

SKM asserts that the significant success of the recent nation-wide protest-demonstration before all Raj Bhawans jointly by SKM & Trade Unions has made Modi Govt. nervous; hence the backlash by illegal use of Investigative Agencies & Delhi Police against farmer leaders. SKM calls upon farmers, agricultural workers and rural workers to undertake widest possible preparations to further intensify the ongoing struggle on the 21-point demand charter including demands of MSP@C2+50%, Comprehensive Loan Waiver, Repeal of 4 Labour Codes, Withdraw Electricity Bill 2022 and No to Privatisation.

SKM warns the Modi Govt. that any move to unleash vengeance against the Farmers Movement will be confronted through massive and peaceful modes of struggles all over India. In a democracy, the supreme power lies with the people and the Prime Minister and his cabinet are bound to act as per the democratic norms and traditions of the country.

SKM demands that Home Minister Amit Shah publicly apologises for causing humiliation and inconvenience to SKM leaders including Yudhvir Singh and takes stringent actions against the concerned officers who have committed this illegal and vindictive act.

SKM will seek appointment from the President of India and submit a Memorandum to direct the Union Govt. not to violate the written commitments made to SKM and desist from any act of vengeance. SKM will also submit a Memorandum to the Home Secretary calling upon him to make public if LOCs have been issued against the SKM Leaders and to withdraw all pending cases.

SKM will undertake a campaign among farmers and farm-workers on this very serious development and SKM Delegations will meet District Collectors on 11th December 2023 and submit Letter to the President of India, demanding no act of vengeance be allowed against the Farmers Movement.

Media Cell | Samyukta Kisan Morcha

Contact: samyuktkisanmorcha@gmail.com