SKM to mark protest anniversary tomorrow with 'Farmers' march to the Parliament'

November 26 will mark the completion of one year since the farmers' protest began. To celebrate this day, the farmer unions are planning a peaceful march to the parliament. Farmers have started pouring in at Delhi borders for the same, while another tractor march is also planned for November 29.

Sonipat (Haryana): Tomorrow will mark the one-year anniversary of the historic farmers' protests that started last year in November. To mark this event, several farmer unions and leaders are planning to gather at the borders of the national capital on November 26. Farmers from Haryana and some other parts of the country have already started pouring in at the Singhu and Tikri borders after the Samyukta Kisan Morcha appealed to the farmers to do so. Although the Union Cabinet has approved the Farm Laws Repeal Bill yesterday, the farmers intend to continue protesting on the borders of the national capital until the laws are legally withdrawn and all their demands are met.

According to the reports, the farmers are planning to carry a Farmers March to the Parliament from the Tikri border on Friday. Several farmers from various villages have started arriving at the borders after the Samyukta Kisan Morcha declared the march. The villages have been forming committees for the proper execution and many social communities have also come forward to plan and join this march. The farmers have also clarified that no political leader will be allowed to fiddle with the march. If at all the politicians try to get involved, their participation will be resisted peacefully.

On Wednesday, a meeting was reportedly organised at the Swami Dayal Dham in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri by Balwant Narbandar - a farmer leader from Khap Phogat. This meeting, which went on for about two hours, was attended by several other farmer representatives and leaders. The demands of the farmers and all the possibilities surrounding the farm laws were reportedly discussed in this meeting. Everyone present at the meeting collectively decided that the protests will go on until all their demands are met and that the Samyukta Kisan Morcha will receive support from them for the Parliament Gherao also.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha had earlier declared a 'Parliament Gherao' with an estimated 500 tractors marching to the Parliament on November 29 - the first day of the commencement of parliamentary sessions. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has also declared a tractor march on the same date. He has said that the farmers will march to the Parliament with about 60 tractors on November 29. The route of this march, as told by him, will stick only to the roads that are permitted for use by the government.

Another meeting has been planned by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha on November 27, wherein the farmers will reportedly discuss the future course of actions and the relevance, need and road-map of the protests.

Farmer leaders Darshpal Singh and Raminder Patiyal told the sources that the number of farmers at the Delhi borders is increasing after Samyukta Kisan Morcha's declaration. They further added that although all the farmers are happy and shall celebrate the anniversary with good spirit, they are still worried about the MSP issue. "We need an assurance about the Minimum Selling Price laws. We need the government to form a special committee and come to a fair decision regarding MSP as soon as possible," they said. They further said that the government should release the farmers and others arrested during the protests, and should also issue compensations for the farmers' families who lost their loved ones in the protests.

The farmers at the Singhu and Tikri borders could be seen celebrating the Union cabinet's approval for the repeal yesterday. However, they are eager for the winter parliamentary sessions wherein the Farm Laws Repeal Bill will be taken on legislation.