Farmers Movement Archive

‘Our aim is not votes, we want to get rights of farmers back’

A day before Shiromani Akali Dal’s biggest protest against the central government’s three agri-marketing laws, party president Sukhbir Singh Badal was busy at his sprawling residence in Badal village making last-minute preparations for the protest march from three different Takhts in Punjab to Chandigarh. He spoke to TOI’s Neel Kamal on the issues leading to SAD snapping ties with NDA. Excerpts: You admitted recently that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders never took NDA allies on board before taking important decisions. Why did it take so long for the SAD to sacrifice its ministerial berth in the Union Cabinet and break ties with the BJP? Akali Dal is the founder member of NDA. We are not a party that puts conditions. Once we join hands with someone, it is a long-lasting relationship. We don't react to smaller things. It is very unfortunate we had to leave the NDA. Farmers for us — for Punjab and for the country — are the most important. Punjab farmers provide food to the country and the farmers are upset and the present government should have taken this into consideration finalizing these ordinances. We were hopeful of the government listening to us and the farmers, which ultimately did not happen but there was no delay on our part and when we found that our voice was not being heard, we left the alliance. So, nothing was discussed with SAD or the then Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal? No, nothing was discussed. Why did you so long in exiting the alliance? We tried our best to convince the Government of India that this law should not be made, they should include the legal provision on (MSP) to it. Till the last minute, we tried. And when it didn’t happen, we had no choice, we had to leave the alliance. Can you reveal the initiatives the SAD was taking to get BJP to listen to its opinion on the farm ordinances? We met every kisan union, we met agricultural intellectuals and economists, we met farmers and even arhtiyas. We had three-four rounds of meetings. We wrote letters on the issues to ministers and got letters from them. We don’t want to leave anything. We tried to bridge the gap. Since we were part of NDA, it was our duty to do that. What about the initiatives with the BJP? BJP means the government, we were talking to its president and the ministers. Your party’s divorce from the BJP is turning into an acrimonious one. Did you expect this? It is not acrimonious. We have some principles and we left on those principles. We never expected this (outcome). We were sure that we would be able to convince them and they would agree to whatever we were saying — we were very confident. But it didn’t happen. Why couldn’t you convince them? It was not that. They didn’t agree to things, they should have. We were not asking for more seats or something but were talking for the people, for the farmers. The Punjab BJP has said that the SAD pullout and Harsimrat's resignation was due to your party’s political compulsions. How did the relationship, which goes back almost quarter of a century, between the two parties deteriorate to this level? We represent the farmers and when some law is against the people who we represent, how should we react. If the whole farmer community is upset, we have no choice but to go with them. We have been fighting for the farmers and we have sacrificed all our lives for the farming community, my father spent 16 years in jail for the farmers and this is a pious act for us not any political compulsion. What is next on the agenda of SAD? We are starting a huge protest tomorrow. After that, we will meet again and decide on the next steps. The protest will be peaceful, violence has never been part of our agenda. Our aim is not elections, our aim is to get the rights of the farmers back. We will try and convince the (central) government. India is a democracy. I think it is the duty of the government to listen to the voice of the people. I think they should do this sooner than later. As the three contentious farm bills have become laws, what purpose would SAD’s agitation and rallies serve now? It is not that nothing could be done now. Just because these have become an Acts does not mean they can’t be changed. They can be changed and should be changed. These laws can be withdrawn too. We want that legal right to MSP should be incorporated in these laws. Did Prime Minister Narendra Modi or any of the BJP leaders try to contact the SAD after you announced in the Lok Sabha that Harsimrat Kaur Badal would resign from the Union Cabinet? No, no one contacted us. With the advantage of hindsight, do you now think BJP took you for a ride? Every party has its own agenda. Farmers may not be a priority for some. For us, for SAD, farmers are our main priority. This question, they (BJP) should answer this. JJP leader Ajay Chautala has revealed that had both of you had been assured by BJP national president J P Nadda and Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar there would be no dilution of MSP for crops after introduction of the three contentious bills in Parliament. He was convinced, but you weren’t. What were your apprehensions at the time? By just saying, does not mean it will… you will continue. We want legal provisions added in the law, which they did not do. As far as Chautala is concerned, that is up to him to be convinced. However, I feel and all the farmers of Punjab feel that by just saying something, it is not enough. Today, I say something and tomorrow… there is no legal binding on it. There is anger amongst the farmers of Punjab on the issue. Have you decided your strategy of channeling this in the right direction? I have appealed to all farmers and their organisations that we should all work together with one mission, so that… We have to get some results. The Punjab government is also siding with the farmers. Captain Amarinder Singh is playing games. He called a special session of Vidhan Sabha before the act was brought by the central government to Parliament. The session passed a resolution (against the ordinances). But he never sent the resolution to the Government of India. This shows his seriousness! The Punjab govt is planning to move the Supreme Court on the issue. Before going to the Supreme Court, they should consult the legal experts and complete legal work and there should not be any shortcoming. Whatever matter is possible, everyone should try. Our ultimate goal is to get the farmers’ rights. We are ready to go with anyone on the issue. Whatever we have to do, the party will decide. Opposition has been accusing the Modi government of unleashing central agencies on political opponents. Do you have any such apprehensions about your family or party leaders especially when bitterness is increasing between you and BJP? I have nothing to hide, our life is an open book. I can’t say what is in the mind of others. It is up to them. I have nothing to hide. Why is SAD silent on issue of over 328 missing saroops of Guru Granth Sahib? We are not silent on it. SGPC is an independent body. It is its responsibility to do all that and it is looking into it. The investigators have pointed out that actually the saroops were given … to some people but money has not been taken. The SGPC at the moment is trying to locate all persons whose money was received but has not been added. SGPC represents the Sikh parliament, we are the only community in the world that has an elected body. So in a democracy, there are certain people who have always been opposing SGPC. This is such a serious issue. I think we should not throw mud at each other. Do you think handling of the missing saroops issue has caused damage to SAD image too? SAD is something else and SGPC is an elected body. SGPC represents Sikh community, it is the Sikh parliament…The last executive was also given religious punishment and they also apologized. The SGPC is the right forum to answer that. If, as you say, people think SAD controls SGPC, do you also say that BJP controls the central government? It is a democratic institution. Akali Dal fights the elections. This is the centenary of SGPC — every five years in these 100 years elections have taken place and for 100 years people have given support to SAD. This clearly shows the community’s faith. We fight the elections as a party. Full story in www.toi.in

The Times of India

2020-10-01

Chandigarh