Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune news service
Chandigarh, October 12
With both the central and Punjab governments inviting protesting farmers to dialogue, the first cracks in the unity of the Kisan unions have begun to show.
The largest Kisan Union, the Union of Bhartiya Kisan (Ekta Ugrahan) is in no mood to give in to the agricultural laws enacted by the Center and stands firm in its position that the laws be repealed. They say they will not participate in conversations with the Center. However, the other Unions have yet to decide if they want to attend the meeting with the Center, scheduled for October 14.
A meeting of farmers’ unions has been called here on Tuesday morning to decide the next course of action, although BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) says it is not part of this meeting. Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of the largest Kisan union, told The Tribune that his protest was in 51 places and would continue until such time as the laws are repealed. “Our union does not go to the competition. We have our own protest program laid out, ”he said.
Last week, another Kisan union, BKU (Lakhowal), was asked to stay out of the joint protest, after they addressed the Supreme Court against the agricultural laws, without relying on other protesting unions.
The consortium of farmers’ unions (in addition to the Ugrahan and Lakhowal factions) has also been receiving legal advice on whether a constitutional guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP) would act as protection against corporatization, as intended in the new laws. passed by Parliament last month. , confirmed Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of BKU (Dakaunda).
He said that a middle way would have to be found, but one in which there is a total guarantee of protesting the economic and other interests of farmers.
The Center, through its Secretary of Agriculture, Sanjay Agarwal, had invited farmers to talk last week. The proposal was rejected by the farmers’ unions. In a new invitation to talks sent out on Sunday, the Center said: “… the government of India takes agriculture seriously, this is why they want to talk to you …”
Krantikari Kisan Union’s Darshal Pal, however, said that they would receive a final call to attend the meeting with the Center on Tuesday. “We had rejected the first offer because we wanted to speak only with the Prime Minister or with a group of ministers delegated by him. We’re still not sure who will talk to us, ”he said.
Punjab government’s proposal to farmers
On Sunday, the Punjab government had sought a meeting with protesting farmers, who have occupied the railroad tracks in more than 200 locations in Punjab. A three-member government committee wanted to discuss the further course of action with protesting farmers, who so far have not given any consent to the meeting. “We could meet with the Punjab government delegation of three ministers (Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Sarkaria and Sukhjinder Randhawa) after we decide our next course of action on Tuesday,” said Jagmohan Singh. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh said they had not been invited to the talks.
