Farmers from various organisations under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) took part in a tractor parade across multiple locations in Punjab on Sunday to press for their demands. These include a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) based on the C2 plus 50 per cent formula proposed by the Swaminathan Committee, a comprehensive loan waiver scheme for farmers and farm workers, the prevention of electricity privatisation, the withdrawal of the National Policy Framework on Agriculture Marketing (NPFAM), and debt waivers, among others.


Hundreds of farmers, including senior SKM leaders, participated in the tractor marches to highlight these pressing issues, news agency PTI reported. In several areas, black flags were prominently displayed on their tractors. SKM had earlier called on farmers to conduct tractor and motorcycle parades on January 26, Republic Day, at the district and sub-division level nationwide.


In addition, the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), along with SKM (Non-Political), which has been leading an ongoing farmers' protest at Khanauri and Shambhu border points for the past 11 months, also held protests at various locations, as per PTI. As part of the tractor march call, farmers from these outfits parked their tractors outside corporate-owned shopping malls and silos to show solidarity with small traders and businessmen, who they claim are being marginalised by corporate entities. The protest also aimed to express support for farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.



Visuals surfaced from Zirakpur Ambala road in Punjab where a tractor march was carried out to press for demands.






SKM's recent statement warned of a larger, more determined struggle across the country, saying that the planned protest should be bigger than the historic farmers' movement at the Delhi borders in 2020-21, both in terms of participation and intensity. 


ALSO READ | SKM Warns Of Countrywide Farmers Protests Bigger Than 2020 Agitation If Demands Not Fulfilled


Union Govt To Hold Talks With Farmers On Feb 14


A recent development saw a high-level delegation from the Union government, led by the joint secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Priya Ranjan, invite SKM (Non-Political) and KMM for talks. These discussions are set to take place on February 14 in Chandigarh. Following this, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a senior leader of SKM (Non-Political), received medical aid but did not end his indefinite fast, which he began on November 26 to highlight farmers' demands.


In a statement issued by SKM on Saturday, it was announced that a six-member committee would coordinate actions with SKM (Non-Political)-KMM, provided there is issue-based unity on the demands, particularly regarding NPFAM. A coordination meeting with these platforms will be held on February 12 in Chandigarh.


Speaking to reporters in Mohali and Samrala on Sunday, senior SKM leaders Harinder Singh Lakhowal and Balbir Singh Rajewal warned that if the Centre fails to address their demands, they would launch a major agitation.