India / Will fly black flags to mark 100 days of farmers' protest: SKM

New Delhi: Samyukt Kisan Morcha will be holding a five-hour blockade on KMP Expressway on Saturday, 6 March, to mark 100 days of the ongoing farmers’ protests. Several other events have also been planned for the coming days as part of the peaceful agitation.

SKM said a five-hour blockade on KMP Expressway connecting various protest sites outside Delhi will be held from 11 am to 4 pm on Saturday. Along with this, the toll plazas will also not collect money.

The umbrella body of several protesting farmer unions held a general body meeting of its constituents at the Singhu Border on Tuesday to constitute a program for action for the coming days. Farmers have been protesting at several borders of Delhi for the last 97 days to protest against three contentious farm laws.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha has asked supporters to show their solidarity with the ongoing protest by flying black flags on this day.

‘’In rest of India, the day will be marked by flying black flags on houses and offices to signify support to the movement, and to protest against the government,” Samyukt Kisan Morcha said.

SKM has also invited protesters to wear black bands on that day.

On 8 March – International Women's Day – SKM will mark the day as ‘Mahila Kisan Diwas’. All SKM protest sites across the country will witness greater participation by women.

Meanwhile, central trade unions will be marking 15 March as 'anti-privatisation' day. SKM will support the call of trade unions by marking the day as 'anti-corporatisation' day, and extend solidarity to the protests of Trade Unions all over India.

In election-bound states, SKM will put out a call to the public to punish the anti-farmer, anti-poor policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

SKM will also be launching an "MSP Dilao Abhiyan" all over India.

“As part of the campaign, the reality of price discovery of farmers in different markets will be showcased, to point out to the Modi Government the shallowness of its MSP promises,” their statement said.

To begin with, the campaign will be initiated in southern India, in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.

The SKM has also invited farmers from all over the country to join the campaign.

Farmers’ Protest

Since 26 November 2020, the borders of Delhi have been witnessing a huge agitation by farmers, most of them from Punjab and Haryana.

The farmers are protesting against three farm laws that the Rajya Sabha recently passed: The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The farmers have asked for a complete repeal of the laws.