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Journalism of Courage
Farmers from Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) will commence their journey from various parts of Punjab, converging at Fatehgarh Sahib on Monday afternoon.
Coordinator of KMM, Sarwan Singh Pandher, said, “Tractors in thousands will march from different parts of Punjab, reaching midway by Monday afternoon. Farmers will sleep overnight in their tractors on roadsides and will proceed towards Delhi based on the outcome of the talks.”
When asked about the number of tractors from Punjab, he said, “They will be in thousands. Considering over 1000 tractors are coming from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, one can imagine the level of participation from Punjab.”
The union government has extended a direct invitation to Sarwan Singh Pandher and Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) president Jagjit Singh Dallewal for the second round of the meeting on Monday at 5 pm in Chandigarh.
The meeting will include Arjun Munda, the union minister of Agriculture, Piyush Goyal, the union minister of Commerce and Industry, and Nityanand Rai, the minister of State of Home Affairs.
Jagjit Singh Dallewal said, “A total of 26 persons will be attending this meeting, with 13 each from SKM (non-political) and KMM.”
Pandher highlighted, “We are very peaceful and appeal to our farmers to remain peaceful. However, the activities of the Haryana government are irritating and instigating the farmers.”
Here is a brief look at the demands of the protesting farmer unions:
1. Enact a law guaranteeing MSP (Minimum Support Price) for all crops, as per the Dr. Swaminathan Commission’s report.
2. Provide a complete debt waiver to farmers and laborers.
3. Reintroduce the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 nationwide, ensuring written consent from farmers and compensation at four times the collector rate.
4. Punish the perpetrators of the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre and provide justice to affected farmers.
5. Withdraw from the World Trade Organization and impose a ban on all free trade agreements.
6. Provide pension to farmers and farm laborers.
7. Compensate the families of farmers who died during the Delhi agitation and offer one family member a job.
8. Scrap the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020.
9. Provide 200 days of employment per year and a daily wage of ₹700 under MGNREGA, linking it with farming.
10. Impose strict penalties on companies producing fake seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers and improve seed quality.
11. Form a national commission for spices like chili, turmeric, and other spices.
12. Ensure the rights of indigenous people over water, forests, and land, stopping companies from plundering tribal land.
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