Farmers join India’s growing protests against electoral roll revision
SKM announces October 23 protests, demands Gyanesh Kumar’s removal and restoration of voting rights
Chandigarh: Following Indian opposition parties and youth groups, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a farmers’ organization in India, has announced nationwide protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
According to Kashmir Media Service, at a meeting of its National Council in Karnal, Haryana, the SKM decided to stage protests against the SIR on October 23. The meeting called for large-scale demonstrations at district and tehsil headquarters across India on that day. It also resolved to intensify the farmers’ movement and organize massive protests in New Delhi and other parts of the country. The SKM’s state units will decide the venues for the demonstrations, which are expected to draw hundreds of thousands of farmers.
Protesters’ treatment draws concern
The SKM expressed concern over the brutal treatment and harassment of protesters, including young female students, by police and individuals it described as affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi. It warned that if the Modi government continued its crackdown on protesters, farmers would mobilize across the country to protect students and young people.
Judiciary criticized over inaction
The SKM stressed that the right to protest was a fundamental right and that attacks on peaceful demonstrators violated the Constitution and the law. The meeting also criticized the Indian judiciary, including the Supreme Court, for failing to take suo motu notice of serious offences in New Delhi or act promptly, arguing that the inaction had contributed to a breakdown of law and order.
The SKM urged farmers and people across India to unite in the struggle to protect democracy. It demanded the immediate withdrawal of what it termed the illegal SIR, the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from office and his prosecution, the restoration of voting rights to all 13.41 crore citizens it said had been deprived of their right to vote, and an amendment to the 2023 law to include the Chief Justice of India on the selection panel in place of a Union Cabinet minister.
The SKM called on farmers to prepare for a prolonged struggle and continue their protests until all their demands were met.
