SKM expresses inability to join talks with SC-formed committee
Chandigarh: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) announced on Wednesday its decision not to attend a meeting scheduled for January 3, convened by a high-powered committee formed by the Supreme Court to discuss pressing farmers’ issues.
In a statement, the SKM confirmed that it had been invited to the meeting, set to take place in Panchkula, Haryana, but emphasised that it was not part of the ongoing farmers’ agitation at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana. These protests, led by groups including Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), have been ongoing since February 13, 2024, after security forces prevented a farmers’ march to Delhi.
The SKM’s statement explained that the Supreme Court had formed the committee in response to the blockade at the two borders but clarified that it was not involved in this specific protest. Additionally, it underscored the SKM’s stance that the court’s intervention in policy-related issues between farmers and the Union government was unwarranted. The SKM believes that the court should not intervene in matters involving policy disputes, asserting that it was fighting for farmers’ rights on political grounds rather than legal ones.
The Supreme Court had, on September 2, 2024, directed that farmers should distance themselves from political parties and focus on their issues in a phased manner through the court’s intervention. However, the SKM has consistently rejected this approach, insisting that the government’s policies must be addressed directly without judicial mediation.
Senior SKM leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal explained that a recent SKM meeting decided against attending the January 3 meeting.
He called on the Supreme Court to urge the Centre to engage directly with the farmers, as prominent leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal remains on an indefinite hunger strike, now entering its 37th day.
Looking ahead, Lakhowal confirmed that the SKM would hold a “Kisan Mahapanchayat” in Moga, Punjab, on January 9, where farmer issues, including Dallewal’s hunger strike, would be discussed. Furthermore, a major SKM meeting is planned for January 24-25 in Delhi.
