SKM to write open letter to Modi demanding remunerative MSP

New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Sunday decided to send an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raising the pending demands of the farmers' movement, including central legislation to guarantee a remunerative minimum support price (MSP), while also deciding to continue their previously announced programmes.

Starting with a rally in Lucknow as per the plan on Monday, the SKM said, the next meeting will take place on November 27 to review developments, if any, and the 'Sansad Chalo' march on November 29.

At its first meeting at the Kisan Andolan headquarters on Singhu border after the announcement made by the Prime Minister on Friday of his government's decision to repeal the three contentious farm laws, the SKM warmly congratulated "all the farmers and workers of India for their historic victory after an unprecedented one year long struggle".

The consortium of farmers' organisations and other NGOs, also decided to continue with all the announced programmes as per plan.

That includes the 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' in Lucknow on Monday; 'Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Diwas' on Sir Chhotu Ram's birth anniversary on November 24; a meeting on November 27 to review developments, if any; and 'Dilli Border Morche pe Chalo' on November 26, a statement from the SKM said, adding, "We appeal to all citizens part of the movement to take part in all the events and hold state level farmer-worker protests in states far away from Delhi."

The SKM also said it will go ahead with its 'Sansad Chalo' march on November 29.

"While Narendra Modi or his government does not acknowledge the heavy and avoidable sacrifices made by around 700 brave farmers of the Kisan Andolan, the Telangana government has now stepped forward to provide support to the kin of the martyrs," the SKM statement after the marathon meeting attended by 40-odd representatives of all the member organisations, said.

While announcing a support of Rs 3 lakh each per martyr family, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has also demanded that the Centre pays Rs 25 lakh for each farmer family and also withdraw all cases unconditionally.

"SKM will provide the list of martyrs to the Telangana government for this ex-gratia support to be extended to the martyrs' families," it said.

In the national convention of a Punjab-based Women's Collective yesterday, with the event focusing on 'Farmers' Struggle and Earth Democracy', the speakers highlighted the historic contribution of women farmers to the ongoing struggle, and paid their tributes to the women martyrs of the movement, the SKM statement said.

The meeting of the representatives of almost all the member organisations of the SKM consortium was attended by leaders including Balveer Rajewal, Gurunam Singh Chadhuni, Manjit Rai Darshan Pal and Yogendra Yadav while prominent leader, Rakesh Tikait, leader of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), was away in Lucknow.