Sanyukat Kisan Manch (SKM) leaders have appealed to farmers and orchardists of the state to defeat the NDA led Modi government in the ensuing Lok Sabha election and vote for INDIA Alliance candidates.
SKM leaders , its state convener Harish Chauhan, co –convener Sanjay Chauhan , convener of Plum Grower’s Association Deepak Singha and Gopal Chauhan representative of Apple Grower’s, addressing a press conference at Mandi on Tuesday gave this call.
They said , “ On May 2nd a meeting of the organizations had pushed forward a six point demand charter supported by 27 organizations, on our demand and had invited all political parties to place their view point and we are emphasizing on our demands in the parliament election.”
Accusing the Modi government for allegedly adopting anti farmers policy the SKM leaders said, “The NDA government had reduced import duty on apples to thirty percent allowing a large scale import of apples adversely affecting Rs 6000 crore apple economy of the state, the GST has been increased in inputs in horticulture and agriculture sector and prices of insecticides and pesticides are skyrocketing”.
The SKM leaders said, “The demands raised in the six point demand charters have found no mention in the BJP manifesto and many of these have been included in the Congress manifesto; and we have decided to oppose BJP candidates in the election and support INDIA Alliance candidates.”
They have also demanded an apology from BJP Mandi candidate Kangana Ranaut for her anti-farmers remarks during Kissan agitation against three farm laws and appealed to voters of Mandi parliamentary constituency to support Congress candidate Vikrmaditya Singh, who have supported our six point demand charter.”
The six demand included in their charter are : MSP for all crops as recommend by Swaminathan Committee, payment of all pending arrivers of apple growers , waving off loans of farmers, hundred percent import duty on apple and other fruits, restore subsidy on inputs and abolition of GST on agriculture implements, packaging material etc.