The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella organization of farmers’ organizations, announced on Thursday a series protests including a “mahapanchayat” in Delhi on 14 March.
The leader of the SKM farmers Rakesh Tikait announced that SKM will observe “black” Friday on February 23 and demand FIRs and Rs 1 crore in compensation for the family members of the protester who died at the Khanauri Border.
SKM said it would also burn effigies for Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his Haryana counterpart Anil Vj to condemn the police actions.
Tikait announced that tractor marches will take place along the country’s roads on Friday, February 26, demanding a law guaranteeing minimum support prices (MSP).
“On the 26th of February, we’ll take tractors on the highway. We will go to Delhi and enter the central highway. The programme will last for one day and we will then return. The Ram Leela Ground in Delhi will host a one-day programme on the 14th of March. The event will be attended by people without tractors. Rakesh Tikitait: “The government keeps saying that they won’t stop us. Let’s see whether they do.
“These are long battles. We will not be able to surround Delhi from just one direction, but rather, in all four directions. “All farmers should stick together”, he said.
He said: “We demand the registration of a murder under Section 320 of the IPC against the Haryana CM, and the Home minister. The death of a demonstrator would be judicially investigated.”
Tikait stated that the next step in the protests would be “every day demonstrations starting tomorrow.”
At a press briefing, the Food Secretary expressed his hope that a solution could be reached before the start of the wheat procurement season. This is expected to happen in March.
The ‘Delhi Chalo” march had been put on hold earlier on Wednesday after clashes took place at the Haryana-Harada border near Khanauri. A protestor was killed and 12 policemen were injured.
The farmers also demand that the Swaminathan Commission recommendations be implemented, pensions for farmers and farm workers, no increase in electricity tariffs, cases against police officers to be withdrawn, and justice for victims of violence at Lakhimpur Kheri 2021.
