The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has voiced its profound dissatisfaction and frustration with the authoritarian approach taken by the PM Modi government towards the farmers’ peaceful protests. According to a press release issued by the SKM, the government has deployed iron nails, barbed wires, and concrete barricades along the highways at the borders of Punjab and Delhi, which the farmers consider undemocratic.
The administration is imposing Section 144 in and around Delhi and Haryana, diverting the traffic without any prior advisory to the public, and creating an atmosphere of terror to frighten off the people. The Modi government is treating protesters as if they are enemies of the country, the statement read.
In Madhya Pradesh, five state leaders of the SKM including Kisan Sabha leader Ram Narayan Kuraria, his wife and All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) Leader Anjana Kuraria, Kisan Sangharsha samithi leader Aradhana Bhargava, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait) leader Anil Yadav, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) leader Rajkumar Sinha were arrested and jailed under Section 151 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CRPC). Many activists were arrested in various parts of the state.
SKM has clarified earlier that it has not given the call to Delhi Chalo on February 13 and SKM has nothing to do with this protest action. However, organisations other than SKM have the right to protest and it is the responsibility of the Union Government to treat such protests in democratic manners instead of adhering to excessive state repression, the statement read.
SKM urges Prime Minister Modi to clarify why his government is not ready for discussion with the platforms of farmers and workers in the context of the countrywide Grameen Bandh and industrial or sectoral strike call on February 16 on the demands of people’s livelihoods.
The efforts to suppress the people’s protest will be in vain in the context of the emerging struggles across India on the livelihood demands of people.