4 min readLudhianaMay 21, 2024 09:37 PM IST
First published on: May 21, 2024 at 06:22 PM IST
Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders announced on Tuesday that they would peacefully oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab in the coming days. The announcement was made during a large Kisan-Mazdoor mahapanchayat organised at the grain market of Jagraon constituency in the Ludhiana district.
PM Modi is scheduled to address a rally in support of BJP candidate Preneet Kaur in Patiala on May 23 in the late afternoon. On May 24, he will address rallies in Jalandhar and Gurdaspur. Polling to elect 13 MPs from Punjab will be held on June 1 in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Jagmohan Singh Patiala, a national coordination committee member of SKM, a conglomerate of over three dozen farmer unions across the country, said, “We will show him black flags during his visit to all the poll rally venues. Let’s see if security forces allow us to reach the venues. However, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ugrahan, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and SKM non-political have also given a protest call. Hence, the SKM is trying to coordinate with all of them to lodge a united protest as, ultimately, our demands are the same, and we want to question the PM over his non-fulfilment of promises made on December 9, 2021, when we lifted the dharnas from Delhi borders.”
Three contentious agriculture laws were repealed in November 2021 following continuous protests by farmers on the borders of the national capital and in different parts of North India. On December 9, 2021, farmers lifted dharnas from the Delhi borders. They were promised that a committee would be set up to work towards the implementation of MSP on all crops, punishment would be meted out to the culprits of the Lakhimpur Kheri case and all FIRs lodged during the farm law agitation would be quashed.
Meanwhile, KMM and SKM, which are non-political said they would question PM Modi over not implementing their demands related to minimum support price, the punishment of BJP leader Ajay Mishra Teni, and many other issues.
The SKM on Tuesday organised a large rally in Jagraon, attended by thousands of farmers and laborers. Heavy police security arrangements were in place. As many as 37 farmer unions from Punjab, eight labour unions, and other organisations participated in this mahapanchayat.
Farmer unions in Punjab are protesting against the BJP candidates. “The protest of BJP candidates will continue,” said Raminder Singh Patiala, SKM’s press secretary.
Despite the hot weather, large numbers of men and women gathered. Langars and sweet water stalls were organised at various locations. As the gathering looked on, the langar hall was also converted into an area for listening to leaders’ speeches. A 12-member committee took care of the arrangements at the stage.
Earlier, farmers observed a two-minute silence over the death of farmers during various protest dharnas in Punjab. The leaders mentioned Shubhkaran Singh in their speeches, and women also participated in large numbers.
The SKM’s call to protest against BJP candidates is nationwide, but unlike Punjab and Haryana, such protests are not prominent in other states. Farmers are demanding MSP as a legal guarantee.
Balbir Singh Rajewal, a member of the National Coordination Committee of SKM, said, “Farmers and labourers will be going to Patiala in large numbers tomorrow. Our mode of protest is peaceful.”
Sources, however, revealed that police are likely to do preventive arrests of farmers ahead of the rally.
The others who addressed in the Mahapanchayat were Manjit Singh Dhaner, Dr Darshan Pal, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala, Ruldu Singh Mansa, Buta Singh Burjgill, Baldev Singh Nihalgarh, Harmeet Singh Kadian, Satnam Singh Ajnala, Binder Singh Golewala, Bogh Singh Mansa, Buta Singh Shadipur, Harjinder Singh Tanda, Prem Singh Bhangu, and few others .
Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat at Jagraon on Tuesday afternoon. (Express Photo) 
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