New Delhi: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of all farmer unions, will hold a 'kisan mahapanchayat' in Haryana's Jind on January 26, news agency PTI reported.
According to a statement issued by the outfit on Saturday, a decision in this regard was taken by SKM leaders during a meeting in Karnal. Several farmer leaders, including Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal and Joginder Singh Ugrahan, were also present in the meeting.
The mahapanchayat of the northern states will be held at Jind on January 26, said Pal.
"The meeting unanimously decided to observe the Republic Day and hold tractor rallies and conventions after hoisting the national flag without obstructing official government programmes," according to a SKM statement.
The statement further said that the farmer body will "expose the conspiracy" of the BJP government to break its unity on January 26.
Pal said January 26 will be observed as a Unity Day.
The farmers will also submit memorandums to the officials concerned in support of their demands on this day.
Notably, a 'kisan rally' will be held in Delhi in March and its date will also be announced on January 26 at Jind, SKM said.
It is to be noted that the SKM, which had spearheaded a protest against the now-repealed three farm laws, has been demanding legal guarantee to minimum support price, withdrawal of cases against farmers, debt waiver, sacking of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra in Lakhimpur Kheri incident and withdrawal of the Electricity Bill.
The SKM leaders also expressed their solidarity with the ongoing protest against a distillery and ethanol plant at Ferozepur in Punjab.
Villagers, under the banner of Sanjha Zira Morcha, have been staging a protest in front of the plant over the last five months, demanding that the distillery be shut down as it was allegedly polluting underground water in several villages besides causing air pollution.