Final Friday, a number of leaders of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) – an umbrella organisation of many farm unions from Punjab and different states – reached Khanauri to test on Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the SKM (non-political) coordinator, who has been on fast-unto-death since November 26.
The SKM leaders who met Dallewal included Rakesh Tikait, BKU (Tikait) chief, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, normal secretary of BKU (Lakhowal), and Manjit Singh Dhaner, president of BKU Dakaunda (Dhaner). They stated they visited Khanauri on behalf of their respective unions and never because the SKM representatives.
To this point, the SKM has stayed away from the farmers’ sit-in protests being led by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and the SKM (non-political), which have been persevering with at Shambhu and Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana borders since February 13 this 12 months. The SKM has maintained that whereas it helps their calls for – which embody authorized standing for minimal assist value (MSP) of crops and farm debt waiver, amongst others – they’ve reservations about their “mode of protest”.
Nevertheless, numerous farm our bodies appear to have mounted contemporary makes an attempt to forge a united entrance for his or her “widespread calls for” to place extra strain on the Centre.
On December 12, KMM coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher despatched a letter to the SKM to induce it to “begin contemporary talks” about their unity. “Although even earlier than beginning our Delhi Chalo march on February 13, efforts have been made for this unity, we couldn’t come on the identical web page at the moment,” Pandher stated.
The SKM’s nationwide coordination committee member and Krantikari Kisan Union president, Dr Darshan Pal advised The Indian Specific, “We had met few KMM leaders on November 17 at Patiala the place it was determined that each the protesting unions will write to SKM and we are able to begin discussions over the problem of unity. So if they’ve formally written to us, it’s a good gesture and SKM will focus on it quickly. Although in February too, SKM’s six-member unity committee had made a number of makes an attempt to have a united morcha (entrance).”
Pal stated,”We can even be urgently looking for time from the Punjab Governor to take up the problems of the agitating farm unions, given Dallewal ji’s well being situation.”
Final week, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of BKU (Ugrahan) – the most important farm union in Punjab and a key SKM constituent – stated, “Delhi Chalo isn’t the reply to each wrestle… We don’t query their wrestle however looking for MSP as a authorized assure is a a lot greater struggle than our protest in opposition to the now-repealed 3 farm legal guidelines… Therefore a united entrance which incorporates all farm unions of the nation might collectively put up a struggle over it.”
BKU (Ugrahan) normal secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan advised The Indian Specific: “We strongly condemn the usage of drive by Haryana administration in opposition to the protesting farmers at Shambhu border. Dallewal’s life has additionally been put in danger because the central authorities has not been contemplating the farmers’ calls for.The federal government should provoke talks with them.”
Kokrikalan additionally stated, “We haven’t but thought of being a part of the protest dharna at Khanauri and Shambhu borders, though we have now widespread calls for. It’s not nearly few farm unions of Punjab because the calls for reminiscent of these for MSP regulation, debt waiver and Swaminathan Fee report’s implementation must be taken up by all of the farm unions collectively.”
Buta Singh Burjgill, president of BKU (Dakaunda), one other constituent of the SKM, stated, “Now we have not but determined to be a part of the protest on the borders, they usually have additionally by no means requested us for it instantly.”
The SKM’s nationwide coordination committee held a gathering on Friday night to debate Dallewal’s starvation strike, however they may not give you a consensus about becoming a member of the continuing stir, sources stated.
The SKM had spearheaded the farmers’ agitation in opposition to the three central agricultural legal guidelines for greater than a 12 months throughout 2020-21 on Delhi’s borders that pressured the Centre to repeal them.
Throughout his latest go to to Khanauri to satisfy Dallewal, Punjabi singer-actor Babbu Mann stated in his speech that it’s excessive time that different farmer leaders “depart their egos and be a part of the motion afresh”.
Dallewal himself has repeatedly made an attraction that extra individuals ought to be a part of the motion to strengthen it.
Kokrikalan stated,”Now we have greater challenges earlier than us apart from MSP. Take for example the Union authorities’s agriculture advertising coverage offered within the latest Funds by means of which they need to implement the three farm legal guidelines by means of the again door. So we want to pay attention to the brand new challenges as properly.”
Sources stated Dallewal has additionally been in favour of waging a united wrestle with the SKM over their widespread calls for, however he has reservations over some farm leaders who have been re-inducted into its fold after contesting the 2022 Punjab Meeting polls. “Our talks within the coming days can focus on all these factors however the pressing situation now could be to care for Dallewal ji well being and put strain on the state and Union governments to get up,” Pal stated.
A 70-year-old most cancers affected person, Dallewal’s quick entered the twenty first day on Monday.
Pandher was a part of the 2020-21 farmers’ motion, however not as a constituent of the SKM. His KMM then used to carry its separate dharna at Kundli border. Later, he joined arms with Dallewal to launch a joint protest for the pending calls for that the federal government had reportedly promised in December 2021.
On Sunday, Gurnam Singh Charuni, president of BKU (Charuni) from Haryana, met Dallewal at Khanauri to debate unity of the farm our bodies.
Charuni himself was expelled from the SKM in 2022 for floating a political outfit Sanyukt Sangharsh Occasion to contest polls. Within the 2024 Haryana polls, Charuni additionally contested from Pehowa, though he misplaced his safety deposit. In March, 2024 he returned to the SKM fold. His assembly with Dallewal was stated to be “important” in farm circles.
The KMM and the SKM (non-political) suspended their foot march to Delhi Saturday – their third try in 10 days – after no less than 17 of them suffered accidents when Haryana police once more fired tear gasoline shells and used water cannons to thwart it at Shambhu.
On Monday, SKM chief Rakesh Tikait additionally referred to as for unity of farmers’ our bodies for a joint struggle, saying “batoge toh lutoge”, whilst he expressed concern over Dallewal’s well being.
Talking to reporters in Karnal, Tikait stated farm teams should “stick collectively” for a joint agitation for his or her calls for, saying “Batoge toh lutoge, sabko ikkhate rehna padega (We should be united. Divided, we can be ruined).”
– With PTI inputs
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