New Delhi
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) protested on Wednesday against the NDA government’s appointment of Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, holding him accountable for the deaths of six farmers in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, in June 2017.
In their statement, the SKM labeled the farmers’ deaths as murders during protests for fair MSP, comprehensive loan waivers, and against rising farmer suicides. They announced a general body meeting on July 10 in Delhi with leaders from various farmer organizations.
The decision reflects the arrogance and insensitivity of the BJP’s past regimes from 2014 and 2019, angering farmers and rural communities, said the SKM. The group criticized the NDA government for ignoring the agrarian crisis and farmers’ suicides in its first Cabinet meeting and failing to address long-standing MSP demands.
The SKM dismissed the announcement of Rs 20,000 crore under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi as inadequate, arguing it averages only Rs 500 per month per farmer household. They pledged to prepare for another wave of protests, uniting farmers, workers, and small traders across India.
The SKM also condemned actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut’s statements against the farmers’ movement and pledged continued legal support for the Lakhimpur Kheri martyrs’ families.
