Farmers Movement Archive

22 farmer unions from Punjab form Samyukt Samaj Morcha to fight assembly elections

Ruchika M. KhannaTribune News ServiceChandigarh, December 25As many as 22 farmer unions of Punjab have formed Samyukt Samaj Morcha to contest the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls.A "political arrangement" with Aam Aadmi Party is in the works, say sources, although the unions have explicitly dismissed all talks of any such alliance.  A formal announcement in this regard has been made by the unions, after holding a meeting to finalise finer details. The decision to contest the polls was taken in a meeting of 32 farmer unions at Mullanpur (Ludhiana) on Friday.Sources said that the alliance with Aam Aadmi Party is also expected to be announced shortly. It may be mentioned that AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is in Punjab on Saturday---a meeting between him and farmer leaders led by Balbir Singh Rajewal is expected soon.Ten unions---all part of Samyukt Kisan Morcha---have refused to be a part of the political front. These are Krantikari Kisan Union (Darshan Pal), BKU Krantikari (Surjit Phool), BKU Sidhupur (Jagjit Dallewal), Azad Kisan Committee Doaba (Harpal Sangha), Jai Kisan Andolan (Gurbakhsh Barnala), Dasuha Ganna  Sangharsh Committee (Sukhpal Daffar), Kisan Sangharsh Committee Punjab (Inderjit Kotbudha), Lok Bhalai Insaaf Welfare Society (Baldev Sirsa) and Kirti Kisan Union Punjab (Hardev Sandhu). They have taken a clear stand against contesting elections and said that the farmers' struggle is still a long way to go because the struggle has been only postponed following the repeal of the three farm laws by the Union government.“The other demands are yet to be met. Using the name of the SKM by anyone contesting the elections would invite disciplinary action,” said Darshan Pal, Gurjit Singh Mehma, and Surjit Singh Phool on behalf of these nine unions.

The Tribune

2021-12-26