Updated: September 23, 2020 10:40:58 am
This is the first time in its history that all the farmers’ unions have come together to protest, in this case against the Center’s three agrarian bills. (Express file photo by Harmeet Sodhi)
WHILE AGRICULTURAL unrest is not new in an agricultural state like Punjab, this is the first time in its history that all farmers’ unions, large and small, have joined in protest, in this case against the three agrarian bills. from the center.
As much as 31 Farmers’ organizations, who have different ideologies and inclinations, must collectively fight against these bills, and the first agenda of their common program is the ‘Punjab Bandh Call’, scheduled for Friday (September 25).
Among these 30, there are about 18 (including 10 large) organized groups They hold proper block, district, and state elections to appoint their officers. These organizations have a fairly large base and also have units at the village level. Their memberships range from 10,000 to over a lakh across the state.
About a dozen of these are small organizations that are currently based in just one of the two districts with around 100 members.
Interestingly, most of these farmers’ organizations are affiliates of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), led by renowned agricultural leader Mahinder Singh Tikait of Uttar Pradesh. In Punjab, Ajmer Singh Lakhowal was then the president of BKU. This was the largest farmer organization in Punjab until the early 1990s, while there were other smaller left-leaning farmers. groups too.
In the 1990s, some leaders of the BKU in Punjab turned to politics, so others broke away from the group due to ideological differences.
“BKU Ekta, led by well-known farmer leader Pishaura Singh, was the first group split from BKU in the early 1990s. BKU Ugrahan was formed in 2002 and then BKU Dakaunda about 15 years ago, ”said BKU Dakaunda general secretary Jagmohan Singh, adding that around a dozen farmers’ organizations joined formed after splitting from BKU and few of them split further.
“Although there are several farmers organizations that lean towards one or another political party, including SAD, AAP Congress and left-wing parties, it has happened for the first time in Punjab history that all farmers organizations came together to protest. against agricultural laws and ‘Punjab Bandh’s convocation on September 25 is their first joint program. We hope that in the future all these organizations will work together on agricultural issues, ”said BKU Ugrahan Secretary General Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan.
“In 1990, a Karja Mukti Morcha on farmer issues was organized in Chandigarh and the governor’s residence was gheraod for two weeks by the BKU and others. groups. That time, some pro-leftist farmers groups He was not able to come together with BKU, but this time, we are all participating together to fight against the bills against farmers, ”said Jagmohan Singh.
Dr. Darshan Pal from Krantikari Kisan Union Punjab and a member of the working committee of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), said it is a positive step taken by all groups as it will fuel protests across the state. He said that also at the level of the whole of India, around 250 farmers’ organizations have come together under the banner of AIKSCC in their respective states.
Former economics professor Gian Singh said: “It is a great movement of farmers organizations that used to organize their protests separately before, to have come together for a common cause.”
The AIKSCC, which has around 250 farmers’ organizations as members across the country, has called on all farmers, peasants, agricultural workers, tribals, fishermen, rural traders, as well as unions, political parties and democratic forces from around the country to join the movement.
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