SKM Demands Murder Case Over Farmer Death; Announces CountryWide Tractors March On February 26The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) today announced a tractor march across the country’s highways on February 26. The organisation is not yet part of the ongoing farmers stir. SKM was the one body that headed the 2020-21 farmers’ protest against three laws brought by the centre. The government had surrendered to the farmers by withdrawing all three laws. The ongoing farmers protest ‘Delhi Chalo’ is headed by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), raising various demands, including the guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations.
However, the farmers leader Rakesh Tikait while announcing its decision to hold a tractor march stated that the farmer’s organisation declared to observe the ‘black day’ in protest against the protesting farmer’s death. He further demanded to register a murder case in the incident. During the meeting with reporters, the SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal asked the government to provide compensation of Rs one crore to the family of the deceased farmer.
The organisation further stated that it would burn the effigies of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Friday in protest against the police action.
A 21-year-old farmer, Subhkaran Singh died yesterday (Wednesday) reportedly amid a clash between Haryana Police and Punjab farmers at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border. He was declared dead at the hospital on arrival. The farmers following the death of Subhkaran Singh had suspended the march for two days.
However, food and Public Distribution Secretary Sanjeev Chopra today said that the government is hopeful to resolve the farmers march before the wheat procurement season in March.