Farmers’ body plans to hold march to Parliament in May

Samyukt Kisan Morcha looks to hold a series of protests in a bid to intensify the stir against farm laws.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 32 farmers groups, on Wednesday said that thousands of farmers, protesting against the three agricultural laws, will march to Parliament in May in a fresh push towards a repeal of the central laws.

Farmers, labourers, women, people from Dalit, Adivasi and Bahujan communities, and unemployed youth will take part in the march to Parliament, Gurnam Singh Charuni said. (ANI)

Unveiling its plan for the agitation for the next two months, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha said it will continue its movement from camps along the borders of Delhi and undertake a series of protests, including blocking expressways leading to the national capital.

“A Parliament march on foot has been planned within the first fortnight of May. This programme will be completely peaceful. People will come in their vehicles from their villages to the borders of Delhi and then walk to Parliament. The exact date will be announced soon,” Gurnam Singh Charuni, a key leader of the farmers’ body said at a press conference here.

Farmers, labourers, women, people from Dalit, Adivasi and Bahujan communities, and unemployed youth will take part in the march to Parliament, Charuni said. The farmers also plan to block the KMP expressway on April 10 for 24 hours.

Thousands of farmers have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year, seeking a repeal of the new farm laws, which they say will erode their bargaining power, weaken a system of assured prices, and leave them vulnerable to exploitation by agri businesses.

The government has maintained that the laws aim to ease restrictions on farm trade by setting up free markets, allow traders to stockpile large stocks of food for future sales and lay down a framework for contract farming.

Farm unions and the government have failed to resolve the deadlock over the new legislation despite 11 rounds of negotiations.

“Special precautions will be taken so that what happened on January 26 will not be repeated,” Charuni said.

A tractor march by the protesting farmers on Republic Day this year turned violent as protesters pulled apart barricades, clashed with police and stormed the Red Fort. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha then said that the violence was a conspiracy to tarnish the agitation.

For the march to Parliament in May, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha plans to constitute a committee to control protesters and deal with police action during the protest.

Among other plans to intensify their protests, the farmers said they will blockade offices of the Food Corporation of India on April 5 and observe Samvindan Bachao Divas (Save Constitution Day) on April 14, the birth anniversary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar.