SAMYUKT KISAN MORCHA PRESS RELEASE 21ST APRIL, 2025, NEW DELHI
Media Cell, Samyukt Kisan Morcha
- SKM supports All India General Strike of Workers on 20th May – Farmers will hold Tehsil Level Massive Protests
- Calls upon Farmers to Burn Effigies of Donald Trump, JD Vance, Narendra Modi on 21-23 April against Imposition of Unfair Trade Terms on India*
- SKM strongly condemns AAP led State Govt. of Punjab for unleashing repression on protesting farmers
- Farmers will Intensify Struggle against Dumping US Agricultural Produces; Imposition of Corporate Controlled Marketing Policy
- SKM will Hold 10 Mahapanchayats in Bihar to Appeal People to Punish the Anti- Farmer BJP in the coming State Assembly Elections*
The SKM General Body met at New Delhi, yesterday with delegates from across India decided to support the all India General Strike of workers called by Central Trade Unions (CTU) on 20th May 2025 against the pro corporate 4 labour codes and privatization among other demands. SKM calls upon farmers and agricultural workers across India to fully support the General strike and rally massively to hold tehsil level protests. The mass protests will be held independently on the demands of farmers as well as in coordination with the workers in support of their demands. The forms of protests will be decided at the local level.
Apart from supporting the demands of the workers, demands including MSP@C2+50% with legally guaranteed procurement, Loan Waiver, Withdrawal of NPFAM, Not to surrender farmers’ interests before US Imperialism through the Indo-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, 200 days’ work and Rs.600 as daily wages in MNREGA, minimum wage, social security and Rs. 10000 monthly pension for agricultural workers, formalisation of Scheme workers, rights of migrant workers and tenant farmers will be campaigned.
The General Body strongly criticised the Modi govt for trying to implement the 4 Labour Codes which do away with the right of workers to draw minimum wages, right to 8 hours work, right to form unions, labour welfare and promote informalisation of workforce by allowing employers to employ workers in jobs that are often casual, lack job security and without the benefits like health insurance and retirement plan.
The 4 Labour codes legalise contract labour based on hiring and firing policy. Once the Labour Codes are implemented that will affect not only the rights of the existing workforce but the entire new generations of workers in all sectors. It will bring untold disaster on the health and survival of crores of industrial and service sector workers who are migrants from farmer families living in villages. The youth of peasant households cannot desire to access formal employment with social security and retirement benefits. SKM will conduct a special campaign among the peasantry about the danger of the 4 Labour Codes and the abject surrender of RSS-BJP combine before the corporate forces.
SKM General Body strongly criticised the repression on and arrest of agitating farmers, both during SKM led planned Chandigarh sit-in from March 5 and at Khanauri and Shambhu borders on March 19, immediately as the talks with SKM NP and KMM ended by the AAP led Punjab State Govt. It shows the ugly anti-farmer face of AAP Govt. and its servility before corporate loot, MNC loot of farmers and its abject surrender to the dictates of BJP led Modi Government.
The General Body also decided to extend solidarity and support the Electricity Sector Workers Strike on 26th June 2025 against privatisation and pre-paid Smart Meters. SKM reiterates its demand for 300 units of free electricity to all consumers.
SKM units shall burn effigies of Trump, Modi and Vance between 21-23 April 2025 against US attempts to coerce Modi Government to impose unfair trade terms and to dump US agricultural products in India. The intention is unregulated freedom for US food chains, trading giants and agribusiness corporations to operate in India. Tariff free Import of huge quantity of highly subsidised milk and milk products, soybean, cotton, mice, wheat, rice, pulses, oilseeds, paddy, GM crops, fruits and vegetables, processed and canned foods into Indian markets will devastate the income and livelihood of Indian peasantry. The Trump Administration has been compelling the Modi Government to wind up PDS food distribution and withdraw all subsidies for farmers on fuel and fertilisers. It wants India to change its patent laws to suit American companies. These changes will erode the independence of Indian farmers and bring disastrous impact on food security of Indian people.
The General Body decided to launch a specific campaign program and hold 10 Mahapanchayats in Bihar in order to campaign among the people to punish the anti- farmer BJP and NDA in the coming State Assembly elections scheduled in November 2025. SKM all India leadership will attend the campaign.
The General Body has called upon all state units to hold Conventions and Mahapanchayats in districts to explain the impact of NPFAM, US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement and Electricity Privatisation and also to have coordination with the Trade Unions, Agricultural Workers Unions and MGNREGA Workers Unions for the success of General Strike of workers and Massive Protests on 20th May 2025.
The General Body meeting was presided over by Hannan Mollah, Darshan Pal and Badgalpur Nagendra from Karnataka.
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