Samyukt Kisan Morcha urges States to follow Punjab’s example, fight Centre’s agri marketing policy

Samyukt Kisan Morcha welcomes Punjab Assembly's resolution against Centre's draft NPFAM, urges other states to follow suit.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella organisation of farmers unions, has welcomed the Punjab Assembly’s resolution against the Centre’s draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM), terming it a “qualitative feat to rally people against the corporate policies”. At a press conference on Wednesday, SKM leaders urged other State Assemblies to adopt similar resolutions against the draft policy.

The bold step taken by Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party government and unanimously adopted by the State’s Opposition parties as well has sent “a shock-wave to multinational companies and big corporations”, the SKM said. “Thus Punjab once again has demonstrated its determination to lead the people of the entire country against the corporate policies being imposed by the Narendra Modi led BJP- NDA Government,” it added.

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SKM leaders reiterated their view that the NPFAM is an open attack on the rights of State governments. “As per the Constitution of India, agriculture is a State subject and the Union government should not trespass the State Government’s domain and dictate through such policy frameworks of unified national markets. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hell-bent on facilitating corporate takeover of agriculture production and marketing across India even by destroying the federal structure which is one of the cornerstones of the Constitution of India,” the SKM said.

It appealed to the Chief Ministers of all States, including those led by the National Democratic Alliance, to reject the NPFAM draft and support the farmers in their struggle against corporatisation of agriculture, while protecting the federal rights of State governments.

The SKM has decided to campaign across the country against the NPFAM and against the alleged corporate exploitation of farmers. “The decision of the Punjab Assembly will instigate farmers all over India to intensify their anti-corporate struggles,” it said.