SKM asks people to ensure change of government to change policies

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the last phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections on June 1, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Wednesday appealed to the people to ensure a change of government to change policies. In a statement issued here, SKM accused the Narendra Modi-led government of implementing policies that worsened the economic situation of farmers, adding that the farm laws now abolished were intended to benefit corporates.

“SKM urges the public to punish the pro-corporate and anti-farmer BJP government at the Centre,” SKM said in a statement.

“The Modi government has formulated and implemented policies to deliberately worsen the economic conditions of farmers to aid in the grabbing of their land and exclusion from farming. The three farm laws and free trade agreements were intended to promote corporations that can then take control of crop production and the food supply chain and monopolize them for profiteering and further oppression of ordinary people,” they said.

“SKM appeals to the people to ensure a change of government to change policies to make farmers debt-free, provide adequate public investment, interest-free loans to revive agriculture, ensure food security and eradicate poverty,” they said.

SKM, an umbrella body of farmers’ organizations that has been leading the agitation for the repeal of the three farm laws, also said it sees the general elections to the 18th Parliament as an opportunity to accelerate the fight against “corporatization of agriculture” and push for facilitating alternative policies for agriculture and industrial development based on agricultural products.

The farmers’ organization has made a special appeal to Dalits, tribals and OBCs to “reject the BJP to protect reservation”.

“SKM appeals to Dalit, Adivasi and OBC people to unite and reject the BJP to protect their right of reservation from privatization, contract labor and the BJP’s no-recruitment policy. Due to the ban on recruitment, there are more than 30 vacancies in various departments of the Union government, including railways,” they further alleged.

The seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections will be held on June 1, when 57 constituencies will go to polls.