Samyukt Kisan Morcha Special Media Bulletin
144th Day, 19th April 2021
The ongoing farmers’ movement under the leadership of Samyukt Kisan Morcha has strategised to counter the threat of “Operation Clean” by the government with “Operation Shakti”. Under this strategy, on the one hand, by celebrating “Resistance Week”, the farmers will make strong arrangements to protect themselves from corona on all protest sites; on the other hand, farmers have also been invited to come back to various protest sites from next week. This strategy, finalised in a SKM meeting on Saturday, was disclosed today at SKM press conference at Singhu border today.
* SKM has evolved its strategy to counter the conspiracy to “clean” out the farmers’ protest sites in the name of addressing corona pandemic
* From 20th to 26th April, in a week being called as “Resistance Week”, all protest sites will make strong arrangements to protect from corona
* Farmers being invited to come back to protest sites with a slogan of “Phir Dilli Chalo”
* A National Convention of farmer leaders and representatives on 10th May
For the last few days, there are indications that the government is plotting to end the peasant movement on the pretext of the Corona pandemic calling it “Operation Clean”. There have been several reports in the media that as soon as the state assembly elections are over, Haryana Government and the Central Government have planned to attack the protest sites and evacuate them in the name of “Operation Clean”. To set a context to this nefarious plan, the Union Agriculture Minister and the Chief Minister of Haryana have also appealed for an end to the farmers’ protest in the wake of the pandemic, in an obvious drama. The government in fact knows that the protest could have ended long ago, if the Government had only fulfilled the legitimate demands of the farmers. Samyukt Kisan Morcha has firmly warned the government that farmers will strongly resist any “Operation Clean” being unleashed on them.
To counter this challenge, SKM has devised a dual strategy. Firstly, SKM calls upon all the farmers to return to their respective protest sites as soon as the crop harvesting work is completed. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) has already called upon its members to reach Tikri Border from 21 April. Welcoming this, SKM has urged all the other organizations to make a program to reach out to their members and giving them a slogan of “Phir Dilli Chalo” from April 24. As is known, 24th April will mark the completion of 150 days of the farmers’ historic struggle outside Delhi, against the anti-farmer laws of the Government of India, and for MSP as a legal guarantee for all farmers.
Secondly, along with the above, SKM has also decided that in the coming weeks, strong arrangements will be made to protect the protest sites from the pandemic. It is worth noting that the pandemic is not new. The spread of the disease was widespread all over the country even at the time when the protests were initiated by the farmers’ organisations, and later at Delhi’s doorsteps. In the past 5 months, there have not been any developments related to the spread of Corona at the protest sites as most observers have noted. Therefore, there is no basis for the government to point a finger at the farmers’ movement.
The ineffectiveness and hypocrisy of BJP governments in combating Corona is now clear for the whole country to see, while the Prime Minister and the Home Minister themselves are busily claiming to have mobilized the largest number of crowds in the Assembly election campaigns at the time of a pandemic. This government has no moral right to advise farmers about the pandemic. SKM condemns the government for spreading fear among the people under the garb of Corona pandemic, for blaming its failures on the general public, imposing fines on them, and giving corporate houses a free waiver of profits at the same time.
- Even if the Government indulges in such duplicity-laden irresponsible antics, the farmers’ movement will not shirk from its responsibility. Therefore, SKM has announced a “Resistance Week”/”Pratirodh Saptah” that will be observed at all protest sites from Tuesday 20 April to Monday 26 April, under which the following arrangements will be made to combat Corona:
- At every trolley and tent in the protests, there will be information shared on protective measures to be adopted against Corona;
- Masks will be made available at all protest sites and there will be an intense drive to promote their use;
- Vaccination camps will be started at all protest sites and protestors above 45 years of age can get themselves vaccinated here;
- Arrangements will be made to control the spread of the disease due to gatherings near the stages and in daily meetings and precautions taken;
- All medical camps will have increased availability of thermometers, oxymeters, masks etc. Treatment will be initiated immediately after any symptoms of covid are exhibited.
- For covid protection and treatment, SKM will cooperate fully with local administration.
SKM has decided that the date of the proposed Parliament March and the exact details will be announced at an appropriate time, after assessing the circumstances. Expressing concern over the news of the arrest by the Delhi Police of some snipers for planning to kill farmer leaders, SKM demanded that the details be made public so that the police could not cover up such conspiracies as has happened the earlier time.
Reiterating its call to free up all the toll plazas of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, SKM also announced a freeing-up-the-tolls program for the rest of the toll plazas.
To further strengthen the ongoing movement, a special National Convention will be organized on 10th May with leaders and representatives of farmers’ organisations from all over the country, along with labor, youth and other progressive democratic organizations. On this day in the year 1857, the first struggle for the independence of the country started.
– Dr Darshan Pal
Samyukt Kisan Morcha
