CM Threatens Farmers, Police Detains Leaders Before SKM Protest

On 26 Feb, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called a week-long protest in Chandigarh starting 5 Mar. The charter of 17 demands included that Panjab government reject the proposed National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM). While this demand has been met, the other demands from the state include: incorporate suggestions from farmer organizations into the state’s agricultural policy, stop the eviction of hereditary tenant farmers, and coordinate with the union govt. to enact a legal framework for debt relief. The charter also has demands related to crop diversification, measures to prevent industrial and sewage pollution of rivers, drains, and groundwater and so on. SKM is concerned that certain amendments in Panjab’s Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act, 2012 mirror parts of the NPFAM, fostering doubts about the govt.’s ability or willingness to oppose the policy. On 3 Mar, the Panjab govt. invited SKM leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal and Joginder Singh Ugrahan to a meeting to discuss the demands. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann urged the leaders to cancel the protest but when they raised concerns he walked out of the meeting. CM Mann said, ‘I told the farmers that your road and rail blocks, strikes and protests are causing problems for Panjab. The state is being seen as a site of protests. Do not think just because I am soft with you, I cannot take harsh action on you.’ Hours after the talks broke down, Panjab police raided various farmer leaders overnight, put them under house arrest or detained them. On 4 Mar, SKM announced it would go ahead with the protest. Panjab’s official opposition party, the Indian National Congress, condemned the govt.’s move. Panjab’s AAP govt. had just won kudos by rejecting the proposed National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing but now its draconian actions and the CM’s statement have eroded the goodwill earned.