12 major opposition parties on Sunday extended their support to a countrywide protest call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on May 26, marking six months of the farmers' protest against the Centre's farm laws.
"We extend our support to the call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to observe a countrywide protest day on May 26 marking the completion of six months of the heroic peaceful Kisan struggle," read the joint statement issued by opposition parties.
The joint statement was signed by opposition leaders Sonia Gandhi (Congress), HD Deve Gowda (JD-S), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Mamata Banerjee (TMC), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena), MK Stalin (DMK), Hemant Soren (JMM), Farooq Abdullah (JKPA), Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), D Raja (CPI) and Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M).
Farmers from various parts of the country are protesting at Delhi borders against the three farm laws brought by the Centre, alleging that the legislation will hamper farming.
The opposition parties also demanded the immediate repeal of the farm laws and the legal entitlement to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) as well as the implementation of the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission.
"We demand the immediate repeal of the farm laws and the legal entitlement to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of C2+50 percent as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission," read the statement.
It further said, "On May 12, 2021, we had jointly written to Prime Minister Modi saying the following: Repeal farm laws to protect lakhs of our annadatas becoming victims of the pandemic so that they can continue to produce food to feed the Indian people.
The Central Government must stop being obdurate and immediately resume talks with the SKM on these lines, the opposition parties demanded.
On May 20, SKM gave a call to observe May 26, 2021 as a Black Day For Democracy. "That is the day PM Narendra Modi led Government took oath of office in 2014 and then again on 30th May in 2019. 26th May is the day when the Chalo Dilli Kisan Andolan completes six months. It is also the day when the All India Strike called by the Central Trade Unions becomes six months old," read an official release by the SKM.
The farmers' body had on Friday written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking resumption of talks with farmers over their demand for repeal of three new farm laws and said they will be constrained to announce further intensification of the struggle if they do not get "a constructive and positive response" from the government by May 25.
The three farm laws were passed by the parliament in September last and were later made a law after presidential assent. The farmers have been protesting at Singhu and Tikri borders with Haryana, Ghazipur border with Uttar Pradesh and other places.