Chandigarh, Jan 26 — Farmers across Punjab on Monday took out tractor marches under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), pressing for a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) and the withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, along with several other proposed laws.
The protests were held on Republic Day, recalling the massive farmers’ mobilisation of 2021, when demonstrators had reached Delhi during the now-repealed farm laws agitation.
“Our fight is for MSP by law and against policies that push privatisation and burden farmers,” SKM leaders said during rallies held across the state.
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Among the key demands raised were the scrapping of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and Seeds Bill, repeal of labour codes, and strengthening of the MGNREGA rural employment scheme.
In Hoshiarpur district, members of the Doaba Kisan Committee marched in Mukerian, beginning from the grain market at Bhangala and passing through major junctions before returning to the starting point. The procession was led by committee’s Mukerian unit president Avtar Singh Bobby.
At Dasuya, farmers rode tractors through Verka Chowk, SDM Chowk and other busy areas, while similar marches were held at Garhdiwala and Tanda, where over 60 tractors participated under the leadership of Doaba Kisan Committee president Jangveer Singh Chauhan.
Addressing protesters at Tanda-Urmur, Chauhan accused the Centre of taking “anti-farmer decisions” and promoting privatisation of cooperative institutions.
“Farmers are being squeezed through costly fertilisers and policies that favour corporates,” he said, demanding action against dealers involved in overpricing.
In Moga’s Dharamkot area, leaders from various farmer unions, including Bharti Kisan Union, Hind Kisan Sabha and BKU factions, joined another tractor march in support of the demands.
Officials said all demonstrations concluded peacefully without any untoward incident.
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