New Delhi, Oct 1 (Representative) Thousands of farmers will commence an 18-day on-foot march (padyatra) starting from Champaran to Varanasi on October 2, Samyukta Kisan Morcha said on Friday. The farmers’ organization informed that farmers from Odisha, Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh will take part in the padayatra. The march is a re-enactment of Mahatma Gandhi’s satyagrah that he started from Champaran in 1917, it added.
The march is a part of the ongoing agitation by farmers against three agricultural laws. SKM will also observe day long fasts at all SKM morchas to commemorate Gandhi Jayanti. “Bapu’s satyagraha and his principles of “satya” and “ahimsa” continue to guide us in our struggle,” the farmers’ body said. Meanwhile, it condemned the Union Government’s decision to delay paddy procurement in Haryana and Punjab by 10 more days. “Farmers in Punjab and Haryana will hold protests against this delay,” SKM announced.
“Further, the government has also decided to cut down paddy procurement by nearly 9 lakh tonnes in Punjab. SKM views these decisions as steps towards depriving farmers the right to sell their crops, and receive remunerative prices for their harvest. The government’s excuse that it is being done due to delayed rains has no validity because the government itself has sanctioned short term varieties of paddy which are ready and which are waiting in the markets. If there are issues about moisture, then it is the responsibility of the government to relax the norms, as has been done earlier.” To protest against the delay in paddy procurement, farmers of Punjab and Haryana will hold spontaneous protests on Saturday, where BJP-JJP MLAs and MPs, and DC offices will be gheraoed,” it said.