Farmers Movement Archive

Haryana farmers don’t buy SYL talk, say repeal of laws sole issue

TIKRI/BAHADURGARH: At a time when Haryana BJP leaders are trying to rake up the contentious Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue to drive a wedge between Punjab and Haryana farmers, those from Haryana have termed it as a non-issue when their very existence of farming is under threat. Farmers from Haryana who have been staging a joint dharna at Delhi’s Tikri border since November 27 along with Punjab farmers point out that if their land goes into the hands of capitalists, who will use the water. They said the Centre’s three new farm laws will ruin every farmer in the country and all of them will fight jointly till the government repeals the laws. A cross-section of Haryana whom TOI spoke to at Tikri border on Thursday had come from Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Jind, Kaithal, Dadri, Bhiwani and Rohtak with their tractor-trolleys along with gas cylinders and edibles items and are putting up in tents or in their vehicles. Mandeep Malik, a native of Umra village of Hansi town in Hisar district, who has been camping at Tikri border along with ‘Saat bass jadiya khap’ said the ones who are talking about the SYL canal right now are those who have no real concern for farmers and are trying to divert the issue in the name of water. "SYL canal issue is not an issue for those protesting over here and who are forced to sleep outside in the cold. Those who have raised it on social media platforms are sleeping in the comfort of their homes. Our only demand is repealing of these black laws as soon as possible and BJP’s foul attempt will fail to split us.’’ He said Punjab’s farmers were like their elder brothers and water issues would get sorted out with passage of time, but the farm laws will hit the farmers of our country. Malik said emphatically that farmers of Haryana would not be taken in by the fake promises of BJP leaders on SYL canal water, and their fight is focused only on the three laws. "The BJP government top brass who made tall promises and failed to bring water flowing into Pakistan is now trying to ruin the fraternal ties between peasants of both states by raking up the issue of SYL canal. Farmers of Haryana and Punjab stand firm against the three laws and BJP’s plan to divide us will fail. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should repeal the three laws instead of playing foul politics in the name of SYL canal. It’s a silly plan to divide us," said Surja Ram Kundu, 70, who belongs to Khairi village of Haryana. Echoing this sentiment, Baru Ram of Rupgarh village of Jind said, "The politically motivated issue of SYL canal has been raised in every election. We have realised that if the leaders resolve it, how will they play politics on the issue. The farmers’ only demand is scrapping of the three laws."

The Times of India

2020-12-18

Chandigarh