Farmers Movement Archive

SKM will not contest Punjab assembly polls

BATHINDA: The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will not be contesting the upcoming Punjab assembly elections. Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Darshan Pal, part of the nine-member coordination committee of the morcha, clarified after 22 farm bodies on Saturday formed a political front to contest the polls. The SKM leaders said the farmers body, which they claimed was a platform of more than 400 different ideologically connected organisations across the country, was formed only on the issues of farmers. “There is no call for the boycott of the elections and even no understanding of contesting elections.” They said it was made by the people to get their rights from the government and after the repeal of three agricultural laws, the struggle had been postponed and the remaining demands would be decided in the meeting to be held on January 15, 2022. Regarding 32 organisations in Punjab, they said there was no consensus on jointly jumping in the assembly elections. Sanyukt Kisan Morcha further clarified that it has nothing to do with declaration by some farmer organisations of Punjab to form a “Sanyukt Samaj Morcha” for contesting assembly elections. “The SKM stands by its policy of not allowing any political party to use its banner or stage. Any attempt to use the name of SKM for elections will constitute a grave violation of the morcha discipline, it said. In a statement issued by SKM coordination committee members Darshan Pal, Hannan Mollah, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Yogendra Yadav, Yudhveer Singh, Shiv Kumar Sharma Kakka stated the forthcoming national meeting of SKM schedule for January 15 shall take a final decision on whether farmer organisations and leaders who take part in elections can remain within SKM. The farm organisations Krantikari Kisan Union (Darshanpal), 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) have taken a clear stand against contesting elections.

The Times of India

2021-12-26

Amritsar