Samyukt Kisan Morcha finds it tough to keep flock together at Punjab-Haryana borders

Mohit Khanna

Patiala, February 23

Members of many farm unions under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) are facing pressure from various factions, which are opposed to the stand of the morcha, to form new groups and head for Shambhu and Khanauri borders.

The young members are of the view that other unions should support the farmers at Khanauri and Shambu borders. “They have come to us wishing to join our protest. We have also urged that instead of protesting in separate groups, we should also head towards Delhi and make our voice heard,” said Gurdeep Singh, spokesperson for Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta-Sidhupur).

After observing ‘black day’ at nearly 250 locations across the state, the SKM has issued directions to all block heads of its unions to counsel youngsters not to play into the hands of anti-social elements, who are trying to flare-up the sentiments of the youth following the death of Shubhkaran Singh and refrain from going to Khanauri and Shambhu.

Prem Singh Bhangu, president of the All-India Kisan Federation (AIKF) and spokesperson for the SKM, said, “The protesting unions at Shambhu and Khanauri have to do some course correction. We were mounting pressure on the government, but the breakaway factions led by Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, and Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Manjit Singh Rai decided to part ways with the SKM and march towards the border.”