Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a front of over 40 Indian farmers unions, on Tuesday announced that no further talks will be held with the central government until the police and administration stop harassing the protesters.
The announcement from the SKM comes after a makeshift cement wall was raised at Singhu border and iron bars were hooked in between the barriers to restrict protesting farmers movement. Nails have also been erected on roads to prevent the farmers from getting their tractors into the national capital.
Following the R-Day tractor rally violence, internet services were suspended in areas near the protest locations, electricity was cut-off. Later, multi-layer barricades have also been placed at the Ghazipur protest site to stop the movement of vehicles. Barbed wire has also been placed to keep off people on foot. The farmer unions have alleged the arrest of farmers in connection with the R-Day violence and accused that BJP-RSS workers have caused the riots.
The SKM has held a meeting today and released press note-keeping forward their demands:-
“Samyukta Kisan Morcha meeting was held today, which was chaired by Shri Balbir Singh Rajewal. SKM decided that there can be no formal talks with the government until police and administration harassment of different kinds against the farmers' movement is immediately stopped. It noted that increased barricading including trench-digging, fixing nails on the roads, barbed wire fencing, closing off of even internal roads, stopping of internet services, orchestrating protests and facilitating the same through BJP-RSS workers, diversion of trains and stopping them before destination stations etc., are all part of multiple attacks being organised by the government, its police and administration against the protesting farmers.”
It further mentions:-
- Talks will be done only after the immediate release of the farmers who have been held illegally.
- There will be a nationwide chakka jam on highways on 6th of February between 11 am and 3 pm.
- Farmer Unions condemn the suspension of several Twitter accounts relating to farmer movements. These accounts are trying to provide the public with real information which is a direct attack on democracy.
Also Read: Farmer Unions accuses railway of diverting trains to obstruct protesters from reaching protest sites
- On one side, the Prime Minister says that solution is one call away and he’s always there to help the farmers, and on the other hand the police and government are trying their best to block the protest sites, terminate facilities and cause trouble to the farmers.
- The SKM has established a legal team with representatives of different organisations from different states, led by Advocate Prem Singh Bhangu which will now systematically carry the case of missing persons, arrested persons and seized vehicles.