SKM was not in favour of ‘Delhi Chalo’ call, says farmer leader Pandher

PTI

Chandigarh, February 27

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday said several meetings were held with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha over the issue of ‘Delhi Chalo’ call but it was not in favour of the march to the national capital.

Pandher said this while responding to the SKM’s claims in the media that it was neither invited nor consulted before deciding about the ‘Delhi Chalo’ call.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) are spearheading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to press the government to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP for crops and farm loan waiver.

SKM, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, is not part of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ call but it has extending its support to the ongoing stir. SKM had spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers’ agitation against the now-repealed farm laws.

Speaking to the media at the Shambhu border, KMM leader Pandher said 13 meetings were held with the SKM and its constituents over the issue of the march.

“When we felt that their positions were not clear, then we held talks in other states and many organisations supported us (for the ‘Delhi Chalo’ call),” said Pandher.

He further said that the SKM in its statement made on October 10 last year, had said that they had “nothing to do with the ‘Delhi Chalo’ call”.

Pandher said they wanted the ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation to be held in November last year but it got delayed as the SKM did not want the agitation to be held.

After talks, when all possibilities to bring the SKM on board ended, then they joined hands with the Jagjit Singh Dallewal-led SKM (non-political) for the march, said Pandher.

A few days back, the SKM had constituted a six-member panel to hold talks with the SKM (non-political) and KMM for fighting unitedly to press the Centre to accept the farmers’ demands.

Meanwhile, the stalemate between the farmers and the Punjab government continued over the issue of registration of an FIR in Subhkaran Singh’s death. 

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