In a joint statement on Sunday, the leaders of as many as 12 opposition parties backed the Samyukuta Kisan Morcha's call for a nationwide protest on May 26. Among the signatories are five sitting chief ministers.
The SKM, a union of 40 farmers' outfits, had issued a call for ‘black day' to mark six months of the ongoing agitation against the Centre's three farm laws.
“We extend our support to the call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to observe a countrywide protest day on May 26 marking the completion of six months of the heroic peaceful Kisan struggle,” said the joint statement by opposition parties.
Signatories of joint statement
The joint statement signed by Congress acting president Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (TMC), Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena), Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin (DMK) and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren (JMM).
Other signatories include former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah (NC), former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, D Raja of CPI and Sitaram Yechury of the CPI-M.
‘Repeal of farm laws, legal guarantee of MSP'
The joint statement demands the repeal of the three new farm laws. Citing a letter written by opposition leaders to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12, the statement says the Centre must repeal farm laws to “protect lakhs of our annadatas becoming victims of the pandemic”.
In addition to the immediate repeal of the farm laws, the opposition leaders also demanded legal guarantees for MSP (minimum support price) of C2+50 per cent as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.
“The Central Government must stop being obdurate and immediately resume talks with the SKM on these lines,” said the joint statement issued on Sunday.
What is call issued by farmers on May 26
Earlier this month, Samyukta Kisan Morcha leader Balbir Singh Rajewal had issued the call for a ‘black day' to be observed on May 26.
“On May 26, we will complete six months of this protest and it also happens to mark seven years since PM Modi formed the government. We will observe it as black day,” Rajewal had said during a virtual press conference.
He had also appealed to people across the country to raise black flags at their homes, vehicles and shops as a mark of protest on May 26.
An umbrella outfit comprising 40 farmers' unions, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha has been camping at three sites on Delhi's borders demanding repeal of the farm laws. Legal entitlement of MSP, a minimum support price at which they can sell their produce, is also one of their demands.
The central government has held at least 12 rounds of formal talks with the farmers' union and even decided to put the laws on hold for six months.
However, farmer leaders have refused to back down unless the three farm laws are repealed.
