New Delhi, January 31: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farm unions that spearheaded protests against the Centre's agri laws, on Monday threatened to resume its agitation if the government does not fulfil promises made to farmers in December last year.

In a statement, the SKM alleged that the government had not fulfilled any of the promises, including setting up a committee on minimum support price (MSP) and withdrawal of cases against protesters, made to the farmers.

The farmers will be left with no option but to resume their agitation if the government continues to renege on its promises, it said. Following the call of the SKM, farmers across the country observed "Day of Betrayal" on Monday over the Centre's non-fulfilment of its promises. Farmers Observe Jan 31 as 'Vishwasghat Diwas', Accuse Centre of Betraying Them.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh camped at Delhi's borders for over a year demanding the repeal of the Centre's three contentious farm laws. They decided to suspend their protest, which began in November 2020, on December 9 last year after the government gave in to their demand and agreed to consider six others, including withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during the agitation, a legal guarantee on MSP and compensation for kin of farmers who died during the course of the protest.

The statement said it should be noted that none of the assurances given by the central government in its letter to the SKM dated December 9, 2021, has been fulfilled. "The Morcha warns the BJP government against challenging the farmers' patience, and declares that if the promises are not fulfilled at the earliest, the farmers will be left with no option but to resume the agitation," the SKM said.

In its letter, the Centre had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that a committee will be constituted on MSP and it would have officials from central and state governments, representatives of farm unions, including from the SKM, and agricultural scientists.

It had stated that governments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana had agreed to withdraw cases against farmers with immediate effect. The Centre had also said that cases registered against farmers and their supporters in Delhi and union territories would also be withdrawn.

It had said that Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments had given their in-principle approval to provide compensation to the kin of farmers who died during the agitation. Thousands of farmers across the country observed "Day of Betrayal" on Monday over the Centre's non-fulfilment of its promises.

"Protest demonstrations were held in hundreds of districts and blocks across India, and memoranda were submitted in the name of the President of India through district collectors, SDMs and ADMs," the SKM said in its statement.

The memorandum addressed to the President stated that as the Head of the State, it is the President's constitutional obligation to protect the interests of farmers and warn the government against committing this "fraud" with them.

"Due to the tireless efforts of the farmers, despite the lockdown and the economic slowdown, the agricultural production of the country has increased continuously. Playing tricks with farmers can be disastrous for the whole country," the memorandum stated. The SKM said it will continue its "Mission Uttar Pradesh" and campaign across the state to punish and defeat the BJP. "The new phase of the mission will be announced at a press conference on February 3," it said.

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