Major farmer unions in Haryana have decided not to be a part of theLet’s go to DelhiTheir counterparts in Punjab announced agitation to demand legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, among other issues.
The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and the United Kisan Morcha (SKM, non-political) have planned to march towards Delhi on foot from Friday. The 235-km trek is proposed to start from Shambhu border in Rajpura constituency of Punjab’s Patiala district and groups led by senior leaders are expected to walk daily from 9 am to 5 pm till they reach the national capital.
“We support the demands of the farmers but they (Punjab farmer leaders) did not join us in the movement. Farmers should be given MSP for the crop,” said Gurnam Singh Chaduni, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni), who hails from Haryana.
Farmer leaders in Haryana have accused the Punjab farmer leaders who are leading the current phase of agitation for not including and consulting them for this phase of the agitation. Haryana farm leaders say their Punjab counterparts should have maintained the unity of SKM, which won a “historic farmers’ movement against three controversial farm laws in 2020-21”.
Farmer leaders in Haryana have also warned the government to take action against the protesting farmers.
“During the previous call Let’s go to Delhi In February this year, a section of Punjab farmer leaders had formed a six-member committee for unity with the SKM, but they did not respond. We are not part of the call for this movement but we request the government not to use force against the protestors. If force is used against farmers, we will not tolerate it,” said Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Union president Suresh Koth, who is also from Haryana. Koth, who is a member of SKM’s 30-member coordination committee, said that his organization is not at the current stage of the movement.
Mandeep Nathwan, president of Pagadi Sambhal Jatta Kisan Sangharsh Samiti said, “We are part of the United Kisan Morcha which is not part of this phase of the movement. Before calling for ‘Let’s go to DelhiOrganizers should consult with all farmer bodies.”
“As a farmers’ union, we choose different ways to meet the demands of farmers. It is a good step if they are struggling for farmers,” Nathwan added.
Farmer bodies in Haryana were largely aloof from the movement when Punjab farmer leaders called for ‘Delhi Chalo’ in February. However, they took out the march after using force against the agitating farmers along the inter-state border of Punjab and Haryana. The death of Punjab farmer Shubhkaran Singh during clashes with the Haryana police at the state border on February 21 also sparked protests in Haryana, leading to several demonstrations.
However, Haryana’s farmers’ organization BKU (Bhagat Singh), which also actively participated in the February movement, has asked farmers’ organizations in the state to participate in the latest ‘Delhi Chalo’ movement. Common cause of farmers.
Meanwhile, sit-in organized by KMM and SKM (Non-Political) continues at Shambhu and Khanoori crossings. The coordinator of SKM (Non-Political) Jagjitsinh Dallewal has been on hunger strike since November 26th at Khanauri Naka, which entered the tenth day on Thursday.