Farmers Movement Archive

Haryana’s khap bodies come out in support of agitating farmers

Amid the ongoing farmers’ protest against the Centre’s new farm legislations, Haryana’s khap bodies have extended support to the agitating farmers and announced plans to reach Delhi on Tuesday. A majority of bodies representing around 90 khaps spread mainly across the eight districts of Sonepat, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Dadri, Jind, Hisar and Kaithal and dominated by the Jat community have expressed solidarity with the protestors.Surajmal, president of the Sheokand khap, which dominates 22 villages in the Uchana Kalan constituency represented by Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala , expressed his opposition to the farm laws and said they had made arrangements for food, milk and accommodation for the Punjab farmers when they passed through Jind district last week.“Many people associated with our khap have joined the farmers’ protest at the Tikri border and we are conducting village level meetings to appraise people about the consequences of these laws on agriculture. The other khap volunteers will reach the Tikri border in the next two days. We had voted for Dushyant during the assembly polls against the BJP candidate Prem Lata because of the BJP’s anti-farming policies. But after the poll results Chautala switched sides and we were expecting him to speak in our favour but he did not do so. He had reached Parliament on a tractor to protest against the Motor Vehicle Act in 2017, but now he fails to stand by us . I want to ask him as to what happened to him and his tractor,” Surajmal added.Meeting on December 1Bijender Sheoran, head of the Sheoran Khap which dominates 25 villages of Badhra constituency represented by Dushyant’s mother Naina Chautala, said he had called for a meeting of the khap body on December1 at Badhra.“We are farmers first and then heads of khaps. Our group has announced support for the farmers. We disapprove of the BJP leaders’ claim that the protesting farmers are Congressmen. Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar is lying when he says that the farmers of the state stayed away from widespread protests and were not marching towards the Tikri and Singhu borders to join the agitation. Despite belonging to the Devi Lal family, our MLA Naina Chautala has not spoken a single word in our favour. Now, we have realised that she and her son have no sympathy with farmers and they want kursi (chair),” he added.Chautala’s Jannayak Janata party is an ally of the BJP in Haryana.Kuldeep Malik, president of the Gathwala khap, said the Centre and the Haryana government were attempting to create hurdles in the way of the agitating farmers“ The Haryana government has stooped to such lows that it has booked over 12,000 farmers all across the state’s police stations for entering Haryana during their Delhi Chalo march . Our khap has full solidarity with the farmers and our people will reach the Kundli border tomorrow. The Union government should hold talks with farmers unconditionally and solve their grievances,” he added. Independent MLA Sangwan resigns from BoardMeanwhile, the Independent MLA from Dadri, Somveer Sangwan, who is supporting the BJP-JJP government in Haryana, has resigned from the chairmanship of the Haryana Livestock Development board.Addressing a meeting of Sangwan Khap at Dadri, the MLA said he had resigned as chairman of the board to extend support to the agitating farmers.“ The people belonging to our khap will reach the Tikri border with a cavalcade of tractor trolleys on Tuesday,” he added.Sangwan is reportedly said to be close to Haryana CM Khattar.

Hindustan Times

30-11-2020

Chandigarh