Farmers Movement Archive

Talks with govt: First sign of rift among farmer unions

NEW DELHI/KURUKSHETRA: In what could be the first signs of a crack among farm unions involved in talks with the government, two non-Punjab leaders — Gurnam Singh Chaduni of BKU (Haryana) and Shiv Kumar Kakkaji of Sarv Hind Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh (Madhya Pradesh) — sparred with each other over a political outreach by Chaduni. Attributing comments to Kakkaji, a vernacular daily reported on Monday that Chaduni allegedly took a large sum of money from a party to bring down the government in Haryana and was also promised a ticket. Though Kakkaji denied making such allegations, it enraged Chaduni who called the former an “RSS agent”. Read AlsoTractor parade on Republic Day on, it’s our right: UnionsThe farm organisations have reiterated that they will hold a tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day at all costs. They held a meeting on Monday to review the preparedness for the proposed tractor parade.Chaduni clarified the meeting with political parties was organised in his personal capacity and he would not attend such meetings in future. His remarks against Kakkaji and the latter’s outburst before their umbrella body, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), on the BKU leader on Sunday created a lot of unease within the group. Though SKM, in its first statement during the day on Monday, sought to distance itself from Chaduni saying the Morcha was not associated with his meeting with parties and that it had formed a committee to inquire into the matter, it later issued a second statement seeking to repair the damage. Read AlsoPolice, not court, to decide on nod for tractor rally: Supreme CourtAttorney General K K Venugopal said the Centre and the Delhi Police thought it fit to apprise the SC of the ground situation as the court has taken charge of the farmers’ agitation. However, the bench clarified that it was a mistake to think in these terms when it had intervened on a very limitedOn Chaduni’s meeting at Constitution Club with leaders of different parties including Congress and AAP, SKM said, “Any organisation and party is free to extend its support. However, SKM and the movement will not have any direct engagement with any political party.” Seeking to clarify his position, Kakkaji released a video message saying, “A daily newspaper has published a news regarding Gurnam Singh Chaduni ji, in which they have stated that it is Kakkaji’s claim that Chaduni has taken Rs 10 crore. I did not make any such a statement... Chaduni ji is my friend and I worry about him. Whatever decision was taken yesterday (on Sunday), it was done in the meeting. I refute this statement published in a vernacular newspaper.”

The Times of India

2021-01-19

India