Farmers Movement Archive

‘Contrary to claims only 5 speak on behalf of farmers’

Bathinda: The claims of former minister of Punjab, Surjit Kumar Jyani — that no fruitful talks were possible with large number of farm leaders attending the meetings with central ministers — were made to deflect attention from the main issue, said the farm groups. They claimed that even though representatives of 40 farm groups participate in the meetings, only five farm leaders speak on behalf of all the organisations. The five leaders who speak on behalf of farm organisations are Balbir Singh Rajewal of BKU (Rajewal), Darshan Pal of Krantikari Kisan Union, Joginder Singh Ugrahan of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), Jagjit Singh Dallewal of BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) and Kulwant Singh Sandhu of Jamhoori Kisan Sabha. Apart from them, if anything out of Punjab has to be shared either from farmers or the government side, it is Shiv Kumar Sharma Kakka from Madhya Pradesh and Hanan Mohllah from West Bengal who speak, claimed the farmer leaders on Thursday. Darshan Pal, who had been mainly receiving or writing to the government, told TOI that “Forty leaders may attend the meetings with central ministers, but only five speak. Before the meeting with central ministers, farmers discuss among themselves about the issues that needed to be highlighted in that particular meeting. Apart from the five, if anyone else in the meeting has to raise a point, he either writes it down on a piece of paper or tells the appointed leaders directly. We respect the protocol of the meeting.” According to Joginder Singh Ugrahan, “It is absurd that the farmers are leaderless. The farmers attend the meetings in dignified manner. We do not raise unnecessary issues and most of the farm leaders come to check how government is behaving towards demands of the farmers and in this way they maintain transparency as well”. Balbir Singh Rajewal said farm leaders do not go to meetings uninvited. “They go to meetings if ministers call to discuss the future of farmers,” he added. Jyani on Tuesday evening had said farmers’ protest is leaderless. No solution is coming as large number of farm leaders appear for meetings. Jyani was of the view that if a small group of three to four persons come for meetings, solution could be easily found.

The Times of India

2021-01-08

Chandigarh