SKM urges full withdrawal of draft Seeds Bill 2025, citing risks to seed sovereignty, farmer rights to reuse seeds, and potential for corporate control over varieties.
November 26 events commemorate 2020 Delhi march; also targets unkept promises like MSP law, electricity bill repeal, and case withdrawals against protesters.
Calls to scrap Indo-UK FTA and CETA to shield farmers from import surges; builds on PPV&FR Act talks for community seed protections.
Farmers’ Umbrella Body Demands Scrap Of Draft Seeds Bill Amid Sovereignty Fears
SKM warns of corporate takeover of seed sector, ties protest to broader anti-FTA push on 2020 anniversary.
Summary
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of over 250 farmers' unions that spearheaded the 2020-21 Delhi protests, has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the government's draft Seeds Bill, 2025, alleging it threatens India's seed sovereignty by enabling corporate monopolies and restricting farmers' rights to save, exchange, and sell seeds. In a statement issued on November 19, 2025, SKM leaders like All India Kisan Sabha president Ashok Dhawale criticized the bill for favoring multinational seed giants through stringent regulations and intellectual property clauses, echoing concerns from prior farm law battles.
The call comes ahead of nationwide protests planned for November 26, marking five years since the historic farmers' march to Delhi's borders. SKM links the demand to opposition against free trade agreements (FTAs) like the Indo-UK pact and CETA, arguing they would flood markets with cheap imports, undercut local produce, and exacerbate the unfulfilled promises from 2021, such as legal MSP guarantees and loan waivers. Recent consultations on the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights (PPV&FR) Act amendments, attended by SKM representatives, highlighted needs for registering community-bred seeds without DUS testing barriers, but the group insists the draft Seeds Bill must be scrapped entirely to protect smallholders.
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