Farmers' Union KMM to Stage Protests During Amit Shah's Moga Visit on March 14
The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), a prominent farm forum, has announced plans to hold widespread protests during the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Moga on March 14. This decision was made during a meeting held in Chandigarh on Sunday, with the organization citing grievances over what it describes as "anti-farmer and anti-labour decisions" by the central government.
Protest Details and Key Demands
Protests will be organized at district headquarters across the region, featuring effigy-burning demonstrations to voice opposition to government policies. The farmers and labourers associated with KMM will press for a comprehensive list of demands during these gatherings. Key demands include:
- Repeal of the India–US trade deal, which they argue harms local agricultural interests.
- Withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 and Seed Act 2025, seen as detrimental to farmers' rights.
- Abolition of the four Labour Codes, perceived as undermining worker protections.
- Restoration and strengthening of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
- Implementation of a debt waiver for farmers and labourers to alleviate financial burdens.
- Enactment of a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) to ensure fair crop pricing.
Additional Protests and Resolutions
In addition to the March 14 protests, KMM has decided to launch a protest morcha at the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner's office on March 19. This action aims to address specific local issues, including:
- Compensation for theft of farmers' trolleys and other losses incurred at the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites.
- Pending compensation for injured farmers and families of those killed during previous agitations.
- Immediate release of overdue flood compensation funds.
- Withdrawal of all police, railway, and stubble-burning-related cases registered against farmers.
The forum also passed several resolutions during its meeting. These include condemning the alleged encounter in Gurdaspur that resulted in the death of Ranjit Singh, demanding an impartial inquiry and justice for his family. KMM expressed solidarity with the Samana Tower Morcha's demands and called for an end to the alleged repression of farmers, labourers, and journalists in Punjab. Furthermore, the organization pledged support for an anti-repression march scheduled to be held in Bathinda in March.
The protests underscore ongoing tensions between agricultural communities and the central government, with KMM leveraging high-profile visits to amplify their calls for policy changes and justice.
