Farmers' Body SKM to Join Student Protest at Jantar Mantar Over Exam Issues

NEW DELHI: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body that led the year-long farmers' protest against the Centre's farm laws, has announced its support for the ongoing student protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar over alleged examination irregularities. A delegation of the farmers' body will join the protest on Sunday in a show of solidarity with the students and others taking part in the agitation.

In a letter to 'Cockroach Janta Party' president Abhijit Dipke, the SKM said it stood in "wholehearted solidarity" with the peaceful protest and with the students, young people and their families participating in it. The farmers' body said its delegation would reach Jantar Mantar at 11 am on Sunday to support the protesting students and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who, along with several students, has been on an indefinite hunger strike demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The SKM also expressed its "deepest sympathies" to students and families affected by what it described as the government's "chronic paper leaks and examination mismanagement". "Every student has the right to a transparent, fair and credible system of education and examinations. Ensuring accountability in this regard is the responsibility of the government," the letter said.

The organisation said its National Council had passed a resolution on June 17 backing the student movement, supporting the demand for the Education Minister's resignation and opposing what it called the "scam culture" in the education sector under the BJP-led NDA government. The SKM also referred to its earlier criticism of the decision to block the CJP's social media accounts.

"The students and the youth are also the children of farmers and the future of India. Samyukta Kisan Morcha firmly believes that the struggles of students and youth are the struggle of farmers," the letter said, adding that it was the moral responsibility of farmers and democratic organisations to stand with young people fighting for their education, future and justice.

The farmers' body said it hoped its visit to the protest site would strengthen the movement and encourage the government to hold meaningful discussions while taking "necessary actions beginning with the resignation of the Education Minister". In a separate statement, the SKM appealed to students, youth, farmers, workers and the general public to participate in the protest at Jantar Mantar and support the demand for accountability.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha is an umbrella platform of more than three dozen farmers' organisations, largely from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. It spearheaded the nationwide agitation against the three central farm laws during 2020 and 2021, following which Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of the legislation in November 2021.