The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which represents over 40 farmer unions, declared on Friday that on June 26 it will organise a ‘Raj Bhavan gherao’ throughout the nation, marking seven months of demonstrations against the three new Central agri-marketing rules.
During their June 26 protest, farmers will organise rallies outside the governors’ official mansions in their various states, waving black flags.
Each state’s governor will send memorandums to President Ram Nath Kovind on behalf of the union.
The day would be marked as “Kheti Bachao, Loktantra Bachao Diwas (save farming, save democracy day),” according to farmer leader Inderjit Singh of SKM, who spoke at a news conference.
“We will protest by showing black flags at Raj Bhavans and giving a memorandum to the President through the governor of each state, who is the President’s representative. It (June 26) is also the day when Emergency was declared in 1975 and we will complete seven months of our protest. Along with farming, democratic rights of the people have also been attacked in this environment of dictatorship. This is an undeclared emergency,” Singh said.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camped at Delhi’s borders for more than six months in protest of three bills they claim will leave them vulnerable to huge corporations and destroy the MSP regime.
All of these concerns have been dismissed by the administration, which claims that the new legislation are pro-farmer.
The Supreme Court has placed the legislation on hold until additional orders are issued, and has formed a committee to investigate the concerns.
Farmers from all around the world will commemorate Sant Ravidas’ birth anniversary on June 24.
In the meantime, farmer leader Suman Hooda claimed that special committees will be constituted by Saturday evening to address the issues of women demonstrators at the protest locations.
“Our female demonstrators have voiced their dissatisfaction with the situation. I’d want to reassure them that these committees will solely try to solve their concerns. By Sunday, their phone numbers would also be released “she stated
