SKM to hold protest on April 8 in Chandigarh over the privatisation of grain markets

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) Punjab unit has decided to hold a protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the privatisation of grain markets in Punjab on April 8 at Chandigarh. The SKM is also going to organise a mahapanchayat at Jagraon on May 21 over this issue.

The leaders of different farm unions held a meeting at Jalandhar on Friday and condemned the Union government for forcing the state government to permit opening silos under 26 market committees in Punjab.

SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said the farmer bodies had gone all out against the centre government to repeal three anti-farmer laws two years ago and now the Union government seems to be hell-bent to privatise the grain markets by allowing the opening of the silos.

“These silos will make the grain markets redundant as the farmers will start dumping their crops directly in the silos. In such a situation, the government would have no choice than to shut the grain markets, which are the backbone of the Punjab’s agricultural economy,” he said.