NEW DELHI, Nov 27: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha has suspended the tractor march to Parliament scheduled for the opening day of the winter session of the House on Monday. It will hold a meeting next month to decide its future course of action, farmer leaders said on Saturday.
The government had earlier announced its decision to adopt a bill in the winter session of the House to repeal the three contentious farm acts it had passed last year. The implementation of the acts, however, was suspended by the Supreme Court a few months back pending the report of the panel of experts constituted by it.
The SKM, an umbrella body of farmer unions organizing protest dharnas against the three acts for the last one year, had said it also wanted an assurance from the government in Parliament on their demand for a legislation guaranteeing farmers Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops.
SKM leader Darshan Pal, while addressing a press conference, said, “We are suspending the Parliament march on Monday. We had written to the prime minister for withdrawal of cases against farmers, allotment of land for building a memorial for farmers who lost their lives (during the protest), suspension of Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’ from the Union Cabinet over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, along with other issues.” He said a reply was awaited and SKM will hold another meeting on December 4.
The SKM also demanded that the government should initiate a dialogue with them in a respectful way.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the three farm laws would be withdrawn. Though the farmer unions have welcomed the government’s move, they said their protest would continue until the laws are totally and formally withdrawn and other demands, including legal guarantee of MSP, are met.
(Manas Dasgupta)
