The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) Responds to Allegations against Farmers’ Movement

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The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) expresses shock over scurrilous and malafide allegations made against the historic SKM-led Farmers’ Movement in a recent FIR filed by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police against the media house Newsclick and several journalists.

SKM’s Rejection of Allegations:
SKM categorically rejects all allegations made in the FIR against the Farmers’ Movement, deeming them false and motivated. SKM firmly asserts the following:

1. SKM refutes the patently false and mischievous allegations in the FIR, which claim that the Farmers’ Movement aimed to “disrupt supplies and services essential to the life of the community in India, abet damage and destruction of property, cause a huge loss to the Indian economy, and create internal law and order problems through illegal foreign funding.” The farmers, known as the annadatas of the nation, participated in a peaceful protest led by SKM against the anti-farmer and pro-corporate laws and policies of the BJP government. The claims of disrupting supplies, damaging property, causing economic loss, and creating law and order problems are baseless. Instead, the Union Government caused inconvenience to the people and farmers by preventing them from reaching the nation’s capital through various means.
2. SKM strongly denounces the BJP-led Union Government’s attempt to downplay the significance of the patriotic and historic Farmers’ Movement. This movement was a spontaneous expression of nationalism, opposing the government’s efforts to hand over Indian farming to big corporates, including foreign entities. The three black farm laws aimed to give corporate entities control over cropping patterns, mandis, food processing, food distribution, and more, at the expense of the farmers. While these laws were deemed anti-people and unpatriotic, the Farmers’ Movement represented a genuine display of nationalism. The FIR’s attempt to portray the movement as funded by extraneous sources has been firmly rejected by the Farmers’ Movement from the beginning.
3. Given that the Delhi Police is under the control of the Union Government and led by known anti-farmer leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, the SKM is not surprised by the false allegations made against the Farmers’ Movement, even though the extent of these falsehoods is astonishing.
4. The SKM recognizes that the BJP-led Union Government, still smarting from the rollback of the three black farm laws due to the determined, democratic, and peaceful agitation of lakhs of farmers from November 2020 to December 2021, may seek revenge against farmers by tarnishing the image of the Farmers’ Movement and promoting an anti-farmer narrative.

Solidarity with Independent Media:
SKM has already expressed solidarity with independent media houses like Newsclick and numerous journalists who courageously report the truth about the BJP-led Union Government’s anti-people policies. It condemns the government’s attempts to suppress their voices through false cases and arrests.

Nationwide Mass Protests:
SKM announces nationwide mass protests against the BJP-led Union Government for its renewed attack on the Farmers’ Movement through the Newsclick FIR. Protests will take place in state capitals, district headquarters, and tehsil headquarters, demanding the immediate withdrawal of false allegations against the Farmers’ Movement in the Newsclick FIR.

Delegations of SKM leaders will submit deputations to the President of India, Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Union Agriculture Minister, and Commissioner of Delhi Police, urging the immediate withdrawal of all allegations against the Farmers’ Movement. If these demands are not met, sit-in protests and demonstrations will be held at the offices of all relevant authorities.