Khushi Bhuta, Pune
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) declared on Friday that the next decision on their agitation will be made on February 29. This announcement came two days after they postponed their Dilli Chalo march.
The farmers that are protesting from Shambhu and Khanauri, along the Punjab-Haryana border, are strongly adamant about holding their ground till then. There will be a candle march today and lectures on topics pertaining to farmers tomorrow. The general secretary of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Sarwan Singh Pandher, has stated that intellectuals will also be participating in lectures on Sunday about the World Trade Organization.
On the 26th of February, the demonstrators plan to set ministers’ and the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) effigies ablaze. Subsequently, the next two days are scheduled for several gatherings of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. On Wednesday, there will be a joint meeting, and on Thursday, the next course of action will be disclosed. Describing their future plan, Sarwan Singh Pandher has made it clear that “till then we will not move further.”
The cause of the agitation includes the following requests made by the farmers: a farm loan waiver, an implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, and a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP).
The farmers planned to march for two days but were forced to postpone it after clashes at Khanauri on Wednesday resulted in the death of a protester and the injuries of a dozen police officers. A 21-year-old protestor from Bhatinda, Shubhkaran Singh, lost his life in the altercation.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of Punjab said that the sister of farmer Shubhkaran Singh, who died during the protest, would receive Rs 1 crore in compensation and be given a government position. However, Singh’s family rejected the offer, stating that they would instead seek justice. The family stated that unless the individual who shot Shubhkaran dead is charged, they will not permit his post-mortem. Part of the SKM, the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), has claimed to have protested Singh’s death at 47 locations across the state of Punjab.