SKM Demands MSP, Memorial Land For 700 Deceased Farmers

by GoNews Desk Nov 22, 2021 • 06:51 PM Views 866

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of farmers that has organised and been the face of the farmers’ protests movement since its genesis, has written a letter to PM Modi after his announcement that the three contentious farm laws will be withdrawn in this Winter Session of the Parliament.

The SKM has demanded a statutory (legal) guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and allocation of land for building a memorial. It has also written that close to 700 farmers have died during the course of the movement. The SKM’s letter was sent after a meeting was conducted about the future of the farmers’ movement now that the repal of the three farming laws had been promised.

The farmers who are encamped on the borders of Delhi are adamant on their demand for MSP and have said that until the three laws are actually repealed through parliamentary procedure, they will not vacate the protest site. The farmers want that the Centre should pass the law on MSP based on the C2+50 formula. Additionally the farmers are demanding that the Centre roll back the draft Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020-21.

Farmers’ Deaths During The Year-Long Movement

The ‘victory’ of the farming laws being repealed has come at a great cost to farmers as a community and to their families and loved ones. The SKM in its letter to the PM has demanded allocation of land on the Singhu border where they want to build a memorial to commemorate this struggle. They have said that this structure will honour those who have died during the course of the movement.

The Kisan Ekta Morcha had published a blog post which said that 670 farmers had died as of 19th November 2021. The post, ‘Death In Farmers Protest’, also says that 40 farmers committed suicide during this period, claiming that those who had killed themselves were angry and disappointed with the government.

Last year, when the protests were primarily concentrated in states, there were 12 casualties by October itself. The farmer had reached the Singhu border of Delhi on 26th November and lost their lives in greater numbers.

There were many deaths recorded at various borders of the national capital as the protest dragged on. They died from exposure to both cold and heat, fires, and also met with road accidents. Those from other occupations/professions who had come to join and support the movement also number among the dead.

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