Samyukt Kisan Morcha stages protest in Hisar

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), Hisar, submitted a memorandum to the President of India through the Deputy Commissioner of Hisar today, demanding an end to the alleged police repression of the protesting farmers. SKM- Hisar also announced that they would celebrate Dr BR Ambedkar’s jayanti on April 14 at Gate No. 4 of the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Hisar the same day.

The SKM staged a protest in front of the Mini-Secretariat here, keeping in line with this nationwide call of the morcha. The event was presided over by several SKM leaders, including Shamsher Singh Namberdar, Nafe Singh Namberdar, Dr Kartar Siwach, Jogi Ram, Rajesh Pandit, Bharat Singh Bura, Sandeep Siwach, Mehar Singh Bangar, Randhir Milkapur, and Dharmpal Badala.

SKM member Shardanand Rajli said farmers from Punjab have been protesting for over a year, demanding their rights. “On March 19, hundreds of farmer leaders and protesters were arrested who were, however, released early this morning,” he said.

The SKM leaders demanded the immediate release of all arrested farm leaders, withdrawal of false cases against them, and action against police officials responsible for destroying or looting farmers’ tractors and trolleys. They also demanded a legal guarantee of MSP based on the C2 50 per cent formula, an end to the reduction of import duties on foreign agricultural products, and the scrapping of the National Agricultural Marketing Scheme’s draft. The SKM leaders called for strict legal action against fraud committed by insurance companies under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana, especially in Bhiwani and other districts, along with fair compensation for farmers whose land was affected by high-tension power grids or underground oil/gas pipelines.