New Delhi, February 11 The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called on farmers to join trade union workers in making Thursday's all-India general strike a success.
In a statement issued here, the SKM said the strike seeks the withdrawal of four labor codes, the Electricity Bill-2025, the Seed Bill-2025, the VB-G RAM G Act-2025, the restoration of the old pension scheme, the implementation of minimum wages for workers, including scheme workers, among other demands.
The statement said that the platform of agricultural workers' unions and the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM) will also support and participate in the protest demonstrations across the country.
"The SKM urges the people to resist all the new attacks launched by the BJP government on farmers, workers, and the general public," it said.
The SKM said that the Electricity Bill will raise power tariffs for farmers and domestic users across the board and impose peak-hour charges and smart meters. "The SKM is demanding 'No to Smart Meters' and 300 units of free electricity to all, as is also being promised in the BJP election campaigns," the statement said.
It also said that the SKM is strongly opposed to the imposition of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, which would replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and the new Seed Bill, stating that it will lead to the black-marketing of seeds.
It also opposed all free trade agreements, calling them a blueprint of "economic colonization" through the denial of the basic right of a minimum wage to workers, a minimum support price (MSP) to farmers, and the right to employment to unemployed youth.
"The Modi government has surrendered India's sovereignty and self-reliance to the United States of America," the SKM alleged.
Referring to the 2020-21 farmers' protest, it said that 736 farmers died during the agitation, but the BJP-led Centre consciously did not fulfill their demands, including an agreement on enacting a law for an MSP based on the C2+50 per cent formula for all crops with guaranteed procurement, a complete loan waiver, and the right to electricity under the duress of the World Trade Organization (WTO), MNCs, and domestic corporate companies.
"The 12th February general strike and the protest demonstrations will rally farmers, workers, and all sections of the people to forge worker-farmer unity across India against the corporate-driven attack on their livelihood and right to live," it said.
"The SKM appeals to all farmers to join the protest demonstration, burn effigies of Narendra Modi and Donald Trump, and copies of the free trade agreements in solidarity with industrial workers and against all anti-people, pro-corporate government policies," it said.