Farmers organisations start protest against BJP in the 5 polling states

The farmers organisations, under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, started campaigns against the BJP in the five States that are going to hold polls soon. Senior leader of the farmers Rakesh Tikait attended rallies, roadshows, and mahapanchayats at various points, including Nandigram, in West Bengal. He said he will also visit Singur during the campaigns.

Meanwhile, the SKM issued an open appeal to the voters in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and urged them “to teach a good lesson to power-hungry, anti-farmer BJP”. “BJP should learn a lesson that it is not wise to pit itself against farmers of India. If you manage to teach them this lesson, the arrogance of the party can be broken, and we can get the demands of the ongoing farmers' movement fulfilled,” the SKM’s appeal said.

The SKM appeal said the farmers, who have been protesting at the Delhi borders, faced the winter and is ready to take on harsh scorching summer. “However, these don’t intend to go back home,” the appeal said.

“They are here to secure their basic rights. The protesting farmers are not here just for their own rights, but to save India’s farming for future generations too. They are here to secure the dignity of farmers in the country. Nearly 300 farmers sacrifice their lives in this struggle so far – some because of the extreme cold, some because of illnesses, some in accidents, and a few who took the extreme step of taking their own lives,” the appeal said.

Listing out the “problems” if the BJP is elected to power, the SKM said the three farm laws will dismantle any meagre protection from the government for poor farmers and consumers and facilitate the expansion of private corporations and big capital.

“BJP government’s ministers pretended to hold multiple rounds of consultations with farmer leaders but in reality, did not even listen carefully to what the farmers had to say. BJP governments gave orders to fire tear gas shells, water cannons on protesting farmers, take up lathi charge and even file false cases and arrest innocent farmers,” the appeal said.

The appeal said Modi government does not understand the language of truth, of goodness, of justice, of Constitutional values, however, it understands the language of votes, seats and power. “You now have the power of denting their quest for votes, seats and power,” the SKM said.

The farmers’ outfit said BJP is very keen on making inroads in the southern states and will also be trucking up with allies for coming to power. “This is the time when farmers in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal can teach a good lesson to power-hungry, anti-farmer BJP,” they said. It added that SKM does not intend to tell the voters who one should vote for, but is only asking the voters not to vote for BJP. “We are not advocating for any particular party. We have only one appeal - do not vote even by mistake to the lotus symbol,” the appal said.

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