Farmers Movement Archive

Haryana: BJP leaders, workers fast for Satluj Yamuna Canal, farmers question timing

The daylong protest fast (Upwas) call given by Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to seek share of Satluj Yamuna Canal (SYL) waters evoked a tepid response in the state. It also led to questions about its timing. In Fatehabad, police had to escort the ‘BJP-supported’ farmers and a handful of BJP leaders from the venue after some farmers affiliated with various farmer organisations entered the venue. Superintendent of police Rajesh Kumar said a case has been registered against some people for assaulting BJP leaders and workers and calling them names. Barring Jhajjar, where Haryana BJP president Om Parkash Dhankar led the protest, there were few takers for the call in most districts except those in Ahirwal belt. In Hisar, BJP MP Brijendra Singh could not make it to the venue and neither did JJP leaders join the protests. However, despite the low turnout, Dhankar claimed that the protest was “successful” and “a grand event organized by the party”. Terming the Fatehabad incident as unfortunate, Dhankar said, “Those who attacked our people on protest fast were certainly not farmers.” He also dismissed allegations levelled by farmer leaders as well as other groups that sarpanches and members of panchayats were forced to send farmers to dharnas. “Those who joined us have suffered due to not getting SYL waters. All kinds of meetings, including CM-level talks and dialogue between chief secretaries of two states have been already held. Now, only implementation is left. At a time when Haryana farmers are playing host {to the farm groups}, it is the duty of our elder brother Punjab to give us our share,” said Dhankar. Only former MLA Naresh Yadav and Ateli MLA Abhay Singh Yadav came out to support Dhankar. Addressing the farmers’ dharna opposite the BJP fast site in Hisar, president of Yuva Kranti Sangathan Sandeep Dhiranwas said people associated with BJP wanted to divert public attention from the “black laws” by raking up the SYL issue. Jaibir Godara, former district president of the BJP Hisar and president of Maru Pradesh Nirman Morcha, said no BJP leaders had fought for SYL except him. In Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar, farmers associated with BKU protested against the BJP upwas demonstration. Rakesh Bains, a spokesman of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni), termed it “a drama”. “Where were they for the past six years, especially when Badals were part of the NDA government. First, they tried to stop farmers, then they used all kind of force, and now they are talking of dialogue. These tactics will backfire on them,’’ he added. Nafe Singh Rathi, president of former MLAs’ association, and senior Congress leader Ashok Arora asked Dhankar as well as the BJP to explain why had the BJP government in Haryana scrapped the Dadupur-Nalwi project and why had they waited for two years to start this protest. In Karnal, police stopped hundreds of farmers from reaching the venue of a BJP protest. The farmers were stopped a few metres away from the BJP hunger strike venue. One of the protesting farmers said, “Those seated with BJP are not real farmers. The real farmers have been protesting at the Delhi border. The government is trying to divide the farmers by raising SYL issue.” According to the farmers, the three farm laws are a threat to their land, and if their land goes into the hands of capitalists, there will be no need for water. BJP district president Yogendra Rana said, “We are on a day-long hunger strike as the Punjab government is not giving the share of SYL canal water, despite the supreme court decision in Haryana’s favour.” Meanwhile, Chand Bhatia, son of Karnal MP Sanjay Bhatia, was gheraoed by farmers at Assandh town. He was allowed to go only after apologising to the farmers. In Jind district, ‘upwas’ got into controversy when around 15 women from weaker sections alleged that they were made to sit at the fast site at Narwana road for something else. “We are not aware why BJP workers were staging a dharna and were told that we will get paid to construct houses under the scheme if we staged a dharna along with them,” said the women. BJP district president Raj Kumar alias Raju Mor said the women came to urge him to solve their problem. In Rohtak, the BJP leaders, including the local MP, participated in the fast and sit-in at Medical Mor park. Former minister Manish Grover, wrestler-turned-politician Yogeshwar Dutt, mayor Manmohan Goyal besides Rohtak MP Dr Arvind Sharma were among those present. Talking to the media, MP Arvind Sharma, said SYL canal water is the lifeline of Haryana farmers but the previous and current government in the neighbouring state were not sharing the water. On being asked about the timing of the protest, the MP said they had been raising the issue earlier also.

The Times of India

2020-12-20

Chandigarh