India News | SKM Announces Campaign Against NDA in Bihar, Protests Against New Labour Codes, Vance's Visit

New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Monday announced that it will be holding 10 Mahapanchayats in Bihar to campaign among the people "to punish the BJP and NDA" in the upcoming state assembly elections.

It also extended support to a general strike called by the Central Trade Unions (CTUs) on May 20 against the new labour codes and said mass protests will be held independently by farmers and agricultural workers.

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In a statement issued after a meeting of the General Body of the SKM on Sunday, the umbrella body of farmers' organisations said they will hold protests during the visit of US Vice President JD Vance, who arrived in India on Monday on a four-day visit, over the tariff issue.

The General Body also decided to hold 10 Mahapanchayats in Bihar to campaign among the people "to punish the anti-farmer BJP and NDA" in the coming state assembly elections scheduled in November 2025. It said the SKM's all-India leadership will attend the campaign.

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"The SKM General Body met in New Delhi yesterday with delegates from across India. It decided to support the all India General Strike of workers called by Central Trade Unions (CTU) on 20th May 2025 against the pro-corporate four labour codes and privatisation among other demands," the farmers' body said.

"The 4 Labour codes legalise contract labour based on hiring and firing policy. Once the Labour Codes are implemented, that will affect not only the rights of the existing workforce but the entire new generations of workers in all sectors," the SKM claimed.

It criticised the "repression" against agitating farmers, both during SKM led planned Chandigarh sit-in from March 5 and at Khanauri and Shambhu borders on March 19, by the AAP-led Punjab government.

"It shows the ugly anti-farmer face of AAP government and its servility before corporate loot, MNC loot of farmers and its abject surrender to the dictates of BJP led Modi Government," the statement said.

As a mark of protest amid the ongoing US tariff war, the SKM is protesting against US Vice President JD Vance's visit.

It said they will burn effigies of "Trump, Modi and Vance between 21-23 April 2025 against US attempts to coerce Modi Government to impose unfair trade terms and to dump US agricultural products in India."

The General Body also decided to extend support to the Electricity Sector Workers Strike on June 26 against privatisation and pre-paid Smart Meters.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)