Step taken in the backdrop of alleged sexual assault of a woman activist

Farmers at a protest site on Delhi border. PTI file

New Delhi, June 12

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of over 40 farmer unions, on Saturday formed committees to address complaints and issues raised by women farmers at the protest sites in the backdrop of alleged sexual assault of a woman activist.

The committees formed at all the protest sites on Delhi borders will “look into redressal of any complaints,” the farmers’ body said in a statement.

The announcement was first made in May to form “Mahila Suraksha Samiti”, days after the alleged sexual assault of a woman activist at Tikri border protest site, who later died due to Covid-19 at a private hospital in Haryana.

“Committees have been formed at all protest sites to look into redressal of any related complaints and to prevent any occurrence of harassment or any other violation… 9818119954 is the phone number where related issues can be raised,” SKM said in the statement.

It added that SKM “respects the rights of women protesters, wants their safety protected in all ways, and welcomes their active participation in the current movement”.

Protesting farmer unions will be organising dharnas at governor houses across the country on June 26 to mark the completion of seven months of their agitation against the three new central agri-marketing laws.

“Save Agriculture, Save Democracy” will be the main message of the day, and sit-ins will be organised at Raj Bhavans in all states and memoranda will be submitted. Detailed action plan for Mission UP and Uttarakhand will also be taken up soon within SKM,” it said.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi’s borders for more than six months now in protest against the three laws that they say will leave them at the mercy of big corporates and end the MSP regime.

The government has said all these concerns are baseless and that the new laws are pro-farmer.

The Supreme Court has put on hold the implementation of the laws till further orders and set up a committee to examine the issues. PTI