The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) Maharashtra Formation Convention was enthusiastically held on 5 September 2023 at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre near Mantralaya (Secretariat) in the heart of South Mumbai. It mobilised over 1,000 selected peasant activists from all over the state. They belonged to several different organisations, of which 13 were the main ones. They included a large number of women and Adivasi peasants.
Seven central leaders of the SKM addressed the convention. They included Rajaram Singh (General Secretary, AIKM), Dr Darshan Pal (President, Krantikari Kisan Union), Atul Kumar Anjan (General Secretary, AIKS), Dr Sunilam (President, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti), Medha Patkar (National Leader, NAPM), Pratibha Shinde (President, Lok Sangharsh Morcha), and Dr Ashok Dhawale (President, AIKS).
After the welcome address by Shetkari Sabha leader Raju Korde, an 11-member presidium was elected. Poonam Kanojiya of NAPM placed the condolence resolution. Pratibha Shinde made the introductory speech.
An 8-page detailed Resolution that outlined the agrarian challenges in the country, with special reference to Maharashtra, along with the Demand Charter and the Plan of Action, had been painstakingly and studiously prepared by the SKM drafting committee. The resolution was placed before the convention by Dr Ajit Nawale of AIKS.
It was seconded by the following: Rajan Kshirsagar of Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha (MRKS), Tarachand Pavra of Lok Sangharsh Morcha (LSM), Kishor Dhamale of Satyashodhak Shetkari Sabha (Satyashodhak SS), Yuvraj Gatkal of National Alliance of Peoples' Movements (NAPM), Rajendra Bavake of Shramik Shetkari Sanghatana (Shramik SS), Vaishali Patil of Mahila Kisan Manch (MKM), Ulka Mahajan of Sarvahara Jan Andolan (SJA), Brian Lobo of Kashtakari Sanghatana (KS), Pratap Hogade of Power Consumers Farmers Organisation (PCFO), and Anil Tyagi of All India Kisan Khet Majdoor Sanghatan (AIKKMS).
The presidium of the convention comprised: Raju Korde (SS), Chandrakant Ghorkhana (AIKS), Hiralal Pardeshi (MRKS), Hasina Tadvi (LSM), Karansingh Kokani (Satyashodhak SS), Prasad Bagve (NAPM), Sunil Malavkar (KS), Hiraman Sutak (SJA), Subhash Kakuste (Shramik SS), Prabhakar Narkar (PCFO), and Shobha Karande (Saguna Mahila Sanghatana - SMS).
The Convention decided to hold large protest demonstrations at all district and tehsil centres in Maharashtra on 3 October, to demand the dismissal from the Union Cabinet and arrest on charges of murder of the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, who was responsible for the gruesome murder of four farmers and a journalist by crushing them under his cars in 2021.
It also decided to mobilise in tens of thousands for the huge protest action in the state capital Mumbai from 26 to 28 November. The exact form of action will be decided jointly by the SKM and the CTU in a joint meeting in Mumbai soon.
Apart from this, the current situation in Maharashtra is one of grave drought, due to the failure of the monsoon in August. It was decided to take up this urgent issue also through struggle.
The resolution, while calling for the resounding defeat of the anti-farmer, pro-corporate, communal and fascistic Modi-led BJP-RSS regime, also denounced the BJP-led Shinde-Fadnavis-Ajit Pawar state government for its recent gruesome police attack in Jalna district on hundreds of farmers from the Maratha agrarian community, in which several women and men were severely injured.
The convention unanimously adopted a resolution placed by Dr Ashok Dhawale for a 13-organisation SKM Coordination Committee in Maharashtra. All the main organisations mentioned above are in the 13-member committee. Other smaller organisations would be invitees.
After the rousing speeches of the seven SKM central leaders, the convention ended amidst great enthusiasm with the collective singing of the National Anthem.
