Samyukt Kisan Morcha accuses government of 'unleashing' cops, probe agencies against farmer leaders

PTI

New Delhi, December 2

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) alleged on Saturday that the Centre has “unleashed” the Delhi Police and probe agencies against farmer leaders despite a written assurance of not taking any action against them related to their protest against the now-repealed farm laws.

Addressing a press conference here, SKM leaders Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal and Prem Singh Gehlawat also said any vengeful action against the farmers' movement would be met with massive and peaceful mass struggles.

In a statement, the SKM alleged that its leader and Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) general secretary Yudhvir Singh had been arrested at the Delhi airport in the early hours of Friday in cases related to the agitation of 2020-21 and he missed a flight to Columbia to attend an international farmers’ conference.

“Later in the day, due to a strong protest...Delhi Police was forced to release him,” it claimed.

The SKM is an umbrella body under which farmers' organisations held their protest against the three farm laws at Delhi borders in 2020-21.

It claimed that Virender Singh Hooda, a BKU leader from Rohtak in Haryana, was served a notice by the Delhi Police on November 22, directing him to appear before it in a case. However, the Delhi Police later publicly announced that the notice had been withdrawn, the SKM claimed.

It alleged that the Delhi Police and central probe agencies also acted against some other farmer leaders.

The farmer leaders said the central government had categorically stated in writing that the state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana had fully agreed to immediately withdraw all the cases related to the farmers' struggle.

“Despite solemn written promises and assurances made to SKM and to the whole nation through Parliament, SKM has come to learn that the Modi Govt. has unleashed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against the farmer leaders and NIA has issued Look Out Circulars (LOCs) against SKM leaders in cases related to farmers' struggle at Delhi. SKM demands Union Home Minister Amit Shah be transparent and make all LOCs public,” the SKM said.

SKM leaders alleged that the success of the recent nationwide protests before Raj Bhawans jointly organised by the SKM and trade unions has made the Narendra Modi government nervous.

“...hence the backlash by illegal use of investigative agencies and Delhi Police against farmer leaders. SKM calls upon farmers, agricultural workers and rural workers to undertake widest possible preparations to further intensify the ongoing struggle...,” the SKM said.

It warned that any move to unleash vengeance against the farmers’ movement will be met with massive and peaceful modes of struggles all over the country.

The farmer leaders said the SKM will seek an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu to submit a memorandum listing their various demands.

They also said SKM delegations will meet district collectors on December 11 and submit a letter to the President, demanding that no act of vengeance be allowed against the farmers’ movement.

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