Farm bodies go into huddle as poll results give BJP ‘psychological edge’

Farmer outfits protesting at Punjab’s border with Haryana on Saturday went into a huddle ahead of their February 14 meeting with central representatives, with sources saying the Delhi poll results have given the BJP-led Union government a “psychological edge” before the crucial talks.

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The farm bodies — under the umbrella of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) — have been protesting at Khanauri and Shambu borders since February 13 last year.

They will hold mahapanchayats to mark one-year of their stir in Rajasthan’s Ratangarh and Punjab’s Khanauri and Shambhu on February 11, 12 and 13, respectively.

The Centre had approached farm bodies for talks last month after farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s health worsened due to his continued indefinite fast since November 26. Dallewal had refused to take medical aid to press the Centre to accept the farmers’ demands. He agreed to take medical aid only after the Centre agreed for talks over the demands, including a law for an assured price of crops.

Now, after the BJP victory, sources in the farm unions said the electoral success has given the party a “decisive psychological edge” ahead of the crucial talks, when combined with the party’s victories in the last year’s Lok Sabha and Haryana Assembly poll.

Separate meetings were also held at Khanauri and Shambhu to chalk out plans for mahapanchayats. Videos of those meetings were also shared on the social media. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher urged people to back farm unions at the mahapancahyats.

He, along with farmer leaders Kaka Singh Kotra and Abhimanyu Kohar, sought to downplay the BJP victory, saying all political parties are currently favouring corporate houses. Farmer leaders said their stir is not opposed to any political party, rather it is being held to press the Centre to address the long-pending demands of farmers.

“Unemployment is at its peak, and the youth are getting hooked to drugs and other criminal activities due to distress, for which elected representatives and governments run by them are primarily responsible,” said Pandher in a statement.

Pandher also issued an open invitation to the youth deported from the US to participate in the mahapanchayats. The farmer unions have decided that besides the demand for a minimum support price for crops, their focus will be on the issue of the rehabilitation of people being deported from the US.