Samyukta Kisan Morcha condemns repression of farmers at Shambhu border

New Delhi [India], February 13 : The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) strongly condemned the central government for employing excessive state power, including lathi charges, rubber bullets, tear gas shelling, and mass arrests, to thwart the Delhi Chalo March organized by farmer organizations on Tuesday.
Expressing surprise, the SKM highlighted the use of drones by the administration to drop tear gas shells on the farmers. In a press release, the SKM urged all its member organizations and units across India to vehemently protest the attack on farmers in Punjab on February 16 by organizing widespread Grameen Bandh (rural shutdown) and Industrial/Sectoral Strikes across the country,Samyukta Kisan Morcha said in a press release.
The SKM emphasized that deploying police and armed forces against the peaceful farmer struggle reflects a loss of confidence in the Modi government. It asserted the right of every citizen in a democratic society to protest peacefully, with the government being responsible for addressing the concrete demands and resolving issues affecting various sections of the population.
"SKM calls on all its member organisations and their units across India to strongly protest against the attack on farmers in Punjab on February 16 in all the villages across India and make the Grameen Bandh and Industrial/Sectoral Strike across India more massive, extensive, and successful," it said in a press release.
"In a democratic society, every citizen has the right to protest peacefully. The government has the responsibility to resolve the burning issues of each section of the people and address the concrete demands to protect their livelihood," the press release said.
SKM warned the central government not to treat the people who are forced to come to the street on their genuine demands as enemies of the government or the country. "The main demand of the farmers, MSP@C2+50 percent had been the promise of BJP and the present Prime Minister in the election manifesto of 2014 and even after 10 years the promise was not implemented," the press release said.
SKM has written a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to immediately withdraw the forces and protect the rights of farmers, to organise Delhi Chalo protest, and resolve the farmers and workers struggle through discussions. SKM has issued an appeal to all like-minded organisations to come forward to build a united issue-based struggle on common demands.