Farmers Movement Archive

Charuni gives ‘mission Punjab’ call, exhorts farmers to fight 2022 polls

Haryana Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Gurnam Singh Charuni on Wednesday called upon the farmers agitating against Centre’s three farm laws to launch ‘mission Punjab’ ahead of assembly elections to form a “kisaan-majdoor sarkaar” in the border state. It is for the first time that Charuni, who has emerged as the prominent face of the agitation in Haryana, has candidly floated the proposal of pursuing political ambitions by turning the ongoing standoff with the Centre into a political movement. Ever since the current seven-and-a half-month-old agitation was launched against the three farm laws (now on the hold) it has united farmers from Punjab and Haryana in massive numbers who have been camping on Haryana-Delhi borders. Charuni’s call for ‘mission Punjab’ is set to give the much-needed ammunition to the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government in Haryana which has been repeatedly saying that by misleading the farmers in the garb of agitation, some self-styled farmer leaders were chasing a political agenda. “Our adversaries will raise questions over this idea...Why we should stay away from politics...Is politics a sinful field? With what authority those already in politics ask others to stay away from politics,” Charuni said while addressing his supporters through a digital platform on Wednesday from the protest site at Delhi-Haryana border. Earlier, the panel of farm unions that has been spearheading this agitation had decided to start “mission UP” in order to topple the BJP government. Differences have cropped up between Charuni and BKU leader Rakesh Tikait, who hails from UP. Now, Charuni wants the farm unions to give top priority to his ‘mission Punjab’ call. According to Charuni, even if farmers as voters succeed in defeating the BJP in the states and at the Centre, there is no guarantee that the new government will fulfil their demands. “You have the capacity to change the governments as 65% of the voters are farmers and labourers. In the past, you changed one government after the another in Haryana also, but your demands were not accepted,” he said, adding the solution now lies in forming a “kisaan-majdoor ki sarkaar”. Asking for putting in place a plan to launch mission Punjab, he urged all the farm unions of Punjab participating in the agitation to unitedly jump into the political battle ground of Punjab and “capture power.” He said: “We have tested all the political parties and now the time has come to form a kisaan-majdoor ki sarkaar and set an example in good governance. People of Punjab want change. Hence, launching mission Punjab is imperative.” In an address lasting about 20 minutes, the Haryana BKU leader, whose political ambitions are not hidden, repeatedly appealed “people of Punjab” and “farmers, farm unions and intellectuals of Punjab” to immediately launch ‘mission Punjab’. “All the political outfits of Punjab will run for cover soon after you start ‘mission Punjab’. This is my guarantee,” he said, asking the farm unions to immediately hold discussions on this subject.

Hindustan Times

08-07-2021

Chandigarh