Farmer leaders who want to join politics should leave SKM: Darshan Pal

NEW DELHI: The Samyukta

Kisan Morcha

will gear up to present the farmer unions' umbrella body as a "national level morcha" and farmer leaders who want to join politics should leave the union,

SKM core

committee member

Darshan Pal

said on Thursday.

He also reiterated that the farmers' body should remain "apolitical".

Pal's comments came after SKM's decision to suspend the year-long agitation by farmers against the Centre's three farm laws.

The union has called for a meeting on January 15 next year to see if its demands have been met by the government.

"The January 15 meeting will also discuss how to present the

SKM

as a national level morcha. Farmer leaders who want to join politics should leave the SKM. The SKM will remain apolitical," Pal said.

He said the SKM achieved 60 per cent win on November 19 when the announcement to repeal the farm laws was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and 35 per cent was achieved on Thursday, suggesting the remaining five per cent win would be when all the demands are fulfilled.

Pal also said that farmers should now form a pressure group and not a political party to change the situation in Punjab.

SKM, umbrella body of 40 farm unions, spearheaded the agitation against the farm laws which were later repealed by the Centre.