Farmers Movement Archive

Punjab: Farmer bodies tell political parties to suspend election campaigns

CHANDIGARH: The SKM on Friday appealed to political parties to suspend their poll campaign till the schedule for Punjab assembly elections is announced so that the focus remains on their agitation against the Centre’s farm laws. The Morcha leaders also discussed the demand to make the election manifesto of political parties with their (political parties) representatives even as the need to thwart any attempts to spoil the atmosphere of Punjab in the run up to the elections was underlined. BKU leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, who presided over the meeting, said Congress and SAD leaders said they will consult their party leadership before announcing their decision. “This time the election campaign seems to have started much earlier, in the middle of the farmers’ agitation, which is resulting in diversion of attention. Congress and SAD did not give a clear reply and said they will discuss the issue with their respective party leaderships. All other parties agreed with us,” he said. Parties are free to hold small functions that do not attract big gatherings, he added. Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Pargat Singh said, “We conveyed to them that the Congress is committed to ensuring that there is no loss to Punjab’s financial health in any way. The Congress government stands with the farmers. They discussed issues like making the manifesto a legal document and the vision document for the state. We are already ready on these counts.” AAP MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan said such an atmosphere should not be created in the state that it becomes a ground for President’s rule and thereby hits the farmers’ agitation. “We made it clear that AAP is against the three farm laws and the MSP should be made a legal guarantee... They asked for our advice on suspending political events till elections are announced and we said that we will abide by any decision, but the ruling Congress should not keep going to the voters. The ban should apply to everyone. At the same time, going to community events like marriages in the villages should be exempted.” The dialogue with political parties began at 11am and Rajewal addressed the media at 4pm. Rajewal said all parties agreed to making the election manifesto a legal manifesto and they also suggested that the party that gets to form the government should also announce a calendar to implement the promises. He added that farmers’ opposition to the condition to supply land records for transfer of procurement benefits was also conveyed to the parties, including the ruling Congress. AAP’s Aman Arora alleged that if the atmosphere of Punjab is spoiled, BJP at the Centre would be more than happy. “A consensus should be evolved so that the ruling Congress does not continue its programmes through the state government. The farmers told us that a common decision will be taken for everyone,” he said. “Making the manifesto a legal document was another issue that was discussed, and AAP supports the proposal. Voters should not be misled with false promises,” he added. Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu left the meeting without speaking to the media. “Had a positive meeting with Samyukt Kisan Morcha … Discussed the way forward !!” he tweeted after the meeting. Lok Insaaf Party MLA Simarjit Singh Bains rued that his party was not initially invited for the event. “There are also indications that initially they wanted to hold a discussion by having all four political parties together but later the schedule was changed to speak to political parties separately. A healthy discussion always goes to strengthen democracy,” he said. Bains said that he suggested that political parties who wish to hold rallies should do it at Singhu and Tikri as such events would then strengthen the farmers’ agitation. Apart from Congress and SAD, representatives of AAP, BSP, Lok Insaaf Party and the SAD (Sanyukt) took part in the meeting. Don’t stall political activities, urges SAD:The SAD on Friday requested the SKM to retain the national character of the ‘kisan andolan’ by not imposing any curbs on political activities in Punjab. It also offered all help to buttress the ongoing agitation on the Delhi borders. After meeting SKM leaders, SAD leaders Prem Singh Chandumajra and Maheshinder Singh Grewal said, “A conspiracy is afoot by the Centre to restrict the kisan movement to Punjab and then suppress it by imposing the President’s rule. Our fight is with the BJP at the national level.” They said the political activity has not been restricted due to the kisan andolan in any other state. “Going to people is as much your right as ours and this should not be restricted,” said the Akali leaders. Other two SAD leaders — Balwinder Singh Bhundur and Daljit Singh Cheema — who also attended the meeting also reiterated their support to the farmers’ protest.

The Times of India

2021-09-11

Chandigarh