Punjab: Cracks emerge in farmers’ front

Item

Title

Punjab: Cracks emerge in farmers’ front

Description

BUTARI: Discordant notes have started emerging from within the conglomerate of 31 farmers organisations of Punjab agitating against the three controversial agriculture laws. Blaming the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee for ignoring unanimous decisions taken by it, a group of 30 farmers’ bodies has unanimously decided to write to it (KMSC), to clarify whether it was them or not. The decision to question KMSC about its allegiance with the group was taken in a meeting held in Chandigarh under the leadership of BKU (Ekta Dakaunda) president Buta Singh Burjgill. “KMSC have not been attending our meetings ever since the beginning of the agitation against the farm bills. So we have decided to write to them to clarify their stand,” Burjgill told TOI on Thursday. When the agitation was launched, the KMSC had assured them of support, he said. “Whatever programme we chalk out for our agitation, the KMSC announces the same ahead of our programme to gain prominence in the media,” said another farmer leader. Citing instances, he said they had decided to begin ‘rail roko’ agitation from October 1 but KMSC began it from September 24. According to sources, after KMSC’s alleged adamant attitude, the group asked Jamhuri Kisan Sabha general secretary Kulwant Singh Sandhu to hold discussion with KMSC president Satnam Singh Pannu and persuade them to honour the coalition dharma. But it has not helped, they added. Kisan Chapter, a group of major 10 farm bodies in the state, took cognisance of the KMSC’s independent programmes that could jeopardise their ‘united’ struggle, in its meeting held in Moga on October 5. The meeting in Chandigarh was held to decide on action to make KMSC fall in line. When contacted, Pannu denied being part of the conglomerate of 31 farm bodies. “From day one, we had made it clear that we will support their actions but we will not be part of their front,” he said.

Publisher

The Times of India

Date

2020-10-09

Coverage

Chandigarh