Farmers won’t move from protest sites until cases are withdrawn: SKM

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) announced on Saturday that farmers protesting against the three farm laws, which were repealed earlier this week, will not move from the demonstration sites at the borders of Delhi until the Centre withdraws cases registered against them during the course of their protests.

Demanding an assurance in writing for the same, the SKM said a committee will decide on who will hold talks in various states from the farmers’ side.

A five-member committee – for dialogue with the Centre on farmers’ pending demands including MSP, compensation to the kin of those who died during the movement against the agricultural laws and withdrawal of cases against the protesters – was formed by the SMK on Saturday, PTI reported.

Farmer leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal, Ashok Dhawle, Shiv Kumar Kakka, Gurnam Singh Chaduni and Yudhvir Singh are on the committee.

Also read: No record of farmers deaths, no question of financial assistance: Govt

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said in New Delhi that the next meeting of the SKM will take place on December 7 to decide the future course of the movement.

According to SKM member Ashok Dhawle, the issues of compensation for martyred farmers, “false cases” lodged against farmers and the Lakhimpur Kheri incident were discussed at the meeting.

On Monday, a Bill was passed in Parliament to repeal the three contentious farm laws against which the farmers were protesting since last year. But the stalemate with the BJP-led central government continues as the protesting farmers are pushing for their other demands.