SKM announces 5-hr blockade at KMP expressway on 100th day of protest

SKM announces 5-hr blockade at KMP expressway on 100th day of protest

NEW DELHI: The Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) expressway will be blocked for five hours on March 6 as the farmers’ protest against the three Central farm laws complete 100 days, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) announced on Tuesday after a meeting held on the 96th day of the protest to prepare future strategy.

After the meeting, farmer leader Balvir Singh Rajewal said, “March 6 will mark the 100th day of the farmers’ protest on the borders of Delhi. On that day, there will be a 5-hour blockade on the KMP Expressway connecting various protest sites. The blockade will be between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and no toll will be collected at the toll plazas during this time.”

“In the rest of the country, the day will be marked by hoisting black flags on houses and offices to support the movement. The SKM members will be wearing black bands on that day as a mark of protest,” he added.

The SKM is also working on a strategy for the states where Assembly elections are scheduled. The members of the farmers’ body will visit the states and participate in various programmes.

The SKM will mark March 8 as Mahila Kisan Diwas. The SKM has invited women’s organisations and others on that day to support the farmers’ movement and highlight the contributions of women farmers to the country.

On March 15, the SKM along with the Central trade unions will mark the day as ‘anti-privatisation’ day. The SKM will support the call of trade unions by marking the day as ‘anti-corporatisation’ day and extend solidarity to the protests of trade unions across the country.

The farmer leaders added that the SKM will also launch a ‘MSP Dilao Abhiyan’ across the country. As part of the campaign, the actual price received by the farmers in different markets will be highlighted so as to show the the government that the promises made about the MSP are false. The campaign will be started from the southern states – Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.