Victory for Farmers, SKM Withdraws Protest After Govt Agrees to Key Demands

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers' organisations, has decided to call off the farmers' agitation after the central government gave its proposal about farmers' demands on the official letterhead, as asked by the morcha yesterday. This comes after the union government had agreed to various key demands made by the SKM related to the constitution of the committee on Minimum Support Price and the withdrawal of cases against farmers in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Yesterday, November 8, the Haryana government agreed to a compensation of Rs five lakh and a government job to kin of farmers who died during the agitation. The state government also agreed to withdraw cases filed against the farmers during the course of the agitation. On similar lines, the Uttar Pradesh government had also decided to withdraw the cases against the farmers.

In a press conference held yesterday, the SKM had said that it received a revised draft proposal from the Government of India and that a consensus has been arrived at within SKM, accepting the proposal. However, the SKM had agreed to meet again today at noon while awaiting a formal communication signed on the government's letterhead.

The formal communication on the government's official letterhead was received today. In its meeting today, the farmers' organisations decided that the protesting farmers would start vacating the five borders of Delhi on December 11. The dharnas at various toll plazas in Punjab and Haryana will be removed on December 15.

This victory for farmers comes after a year-long struggle that started in November last year. During this period, the farmers had to withstand constant propaganda attacks from the Modi government, its ministers and supporters. On November 19 this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a televised address that his government would repeal the farm laws in the upcoming Parliament session. Soon after, both the houses of the Parliament gave their nod to the repeal on November 29. After that, the SKM had pressed the government to agree to its other demands related to MSP and withdrawal of cases against farmers.