Groundxero | March 5, 2025

Thousands of farmers today started peaceful protests on the streets of Punjab in more than 35 places as they were prevented by the Police from going to Chandigarh, the State Capital, to start a week long Dharna. The massive participation in today’s protest despite the arrest of 350 farmer leaders by the Punjab Police the day before have filled confidence in the rank and file of the United Kisan Movement. The Punjab Police has arrested more farmer leaders today including Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Mukesh Chandra Sharma among others.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has strongly condemned the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Sing Mann for ordering police to raid houses of farmer leaders across Punjab and putting octogenarian leaders including Balbir Singh Rajewal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan and Ruldu Singh Mansa in forceful Police custody and demanded apology.

SKM warned the Chief Minister that his Government will not have enough jail if the farmers of Punjab decide to court arrest to protect the democratic rights of the people to protest – a fundamental right as per the Constitution of India.

SKM said the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers adhering to authoritarianism will never deter farmers across India from their protracted, unwavering struggle to achieve the long pending demands including repeal of NPFAM, announcing MSP@C2+50 with legally guaranteed procurement, comprehensive loan waiver among other demands.

SKM, today, also released the memorandum to all the chief ministers urging them to adopt resolutions in the respective assembly to repeal the anti-farmer, anti- State draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFASM) that aimed to facilitate takeover of agricultural markets by multinational and domestic corporate companies. The State SKM delegations will submit the memorandum to the respective Chief Ministers.

The memorandum has strongly condemned the Narendra Modi Government for propagating the deceitful slogan of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” while, imposing pro-corporate policies and schemes during the last 11 years proving undoubtedly that his Govt. is for “Corporateka Saath, Corporateka Vikas”.

In the background Police clampdown on the democratic rights of farmers in Punjab, SKM demanded Punjab Chief Minister to clarify whether his government’s political loyalty is with the farmers of Punjab or with the corporate forces hell-bent on to loot the farmers and the working people of the entire country.

The copy of the memorandum to the chief ministers is given below.

Memorandum to the Chief Ministers

To,

Chief Minister

………………………….

Govt of …………….

Dated: 05 March 2025

Subject: 

1. Repression unleashed by AAP Govt. of Punjab on farmers, raids on houses of leaders and arrest of many farmer’s and worker’s leaders.

2. To urge withdrawal of the proposed National Policy Framework on Agriculture Marketing; to call for assembly session to reject this policy; to request the Hon’ble Prime Minister not to disregard the demands being raised by the farmers of India; and to request him to implement the promises made by his Govt. to the SKM in their letter dated December 9, 2021.

Respected Madam / Mr Chief Minister,

With deep concern at the continuing apathy of the Union Govt., we are representing to you the problems of the farming community and serious issues relating to the economy for your help to seek solutions.

We hope that you will be able to raise these issues with the Govt. of India, especially the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Sri Narendra Modi ji.

First and foremost we wish to seriously condemn the repression unleashed by Punjab’s AAP Govt. on farmers in Punjab including raids on houses of leaders and arrest of several Farmer leaders. We urge you to immediately inform the Punjab Govt. of our concern and demand that all leaders be released. We also demand that permission be given for the protest at Chandigarh and the Union Govt. be requested to hold discussions with the farmer’s representatives and solve the problems.

The Union Govt. has released a New National Policy Framework on Agriculture Marketing, NPFAM which is a recasting of the 3 Farm Laws which had been withdrawn to ensure that the historic 13 month movement of farmers is concluded.

This draft aims to push all agriculture activities under control of private corporations and Multinational Companies. It proposes to unite all APMC market yards under one united marketing structure in which they are to be redeveloped under PPP mode and connected under digital mode. To develop cluster farming for food processing industry under corporate control it proposes to start contract farming through FPOs, which will bind all category of farmers for supply to a network of corporate controlled Retail marketing, Value Addition Chains and food exports. This is a grave threat to the independence of farmers and it will weaken the responsibilities of State Govt.’s to develop agriculture. It will further impoverish and indebt peasants and deprive them of both, their land and freedom.

This policy is completely silent on MSP and Govt. procurement as well as on PDS ration distribution, exposing its anti-farmer, anti-poor, anti- agriculture worker orientation.

We urge you to kindly look into this anti-people, pro corporate policy and raise your strong voice against this. We also urge you to call a session of your assembly and pass a resolution rejecting this policy as well as immediately apprise the Union Govt.

The farmers of India had requested the Union Govt. for a written assurance at the end of the 23 month long movement against 3 farm laws at Delhi borders. The Union Govt. had in its letter dated December 9, 2021 specified in writing that to find a solution to the pending demands of farmers, it will constitute a committee. It had also written that without consulting the farmers it will not bring the new Electricity Act.

The Union Govt. very well knows as is also general knowledge that the main demands of the farmers includes grant of MSP@C2+50%  with legal guarantee for procurement for all crops and waiver of all debts of farmers and agricultural workers. It is extremely unfortunate that the Govt. has been trying to evade these very important demands and not to solve the acute crisis in agrarian sector.

On the other hand it has implemented provisions of the Electricity Act like tariff hike, smart meters etc. The SKM has been pressing for free electricity to tube wells and free 300 units for all rural users. We urge you to also stop sending inflated bills and terrorizing farmers as well as remove all smart meters.

While Modi ji has been saying that his Govt. is for “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”, it is sad that the pro corporate policies and schemes are being imposed over the people during the last 11 years. His Govt. has also waived Rs. 16 lakh Cr worth debts of Corporates, while ignoring the debts of farmers and workers proves otherwise that his Govt. is for “Corporateka Saath, Corporateka Vikas”.

We request you to kindly remind the Prime Minister about the written promise made by him to the farmers of India in the context of 31 farmers committing suicide daily across the country due to agrarian crisis and resultant indebtedness.

Thanking you in anticipation and hoping for your cooperation and support,

 With warm regards,

………………………..

Member of SKM, Samyukt Kisan Morcha