Forge united front to press Centre for demands: Cong

The Congress on Sunday urged farmer bodies to put up a united fight for the acceptance of their demands, failing which it said their movement might lose steam and benefit the BJP-led Centre that is trying to “drive a wedge” among them.

The remarks came a day after Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Naresh Tikait slammed farm unions protesting on the Punjab’s borders with Haryana for “benefitting the Centre” by failing to forge a united front for the demands, including debt waiver and a law guaranteeing an assured price of crops.

Sounding a warning, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said the need for a united front has become all more important as farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s indefinite fast has sharpened the agitation.

‘BJP-led Centre wants to divide farmer unions’

“The Centre wants to divide unions. If something happens to Dallewal, the BJP is not bothered but the entire agitation that was built up since 2020-2021 will fizzle out and people will lose hope. Meanwhile, the BJP will be able to fulfil its agenda,” he said.

Former Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh too said a “prolonged agitation does not suite Punjab as it is not only harming the state’s economy but also hitting the common man”.

“A united pressure group can better negotiate an amicable solution rather than confrontational attitude,” he said.

He said though Dallewal should have taken everyone along before launching his hunger strike, “others should now show a larger heart” and come together for the farmers’ cause.

The Congress leader said farmer groups should exhibit the similar unity they showed during their year-long agitation on the Delhi borders in 2020-21, which had compelled the Centre to withdraw its controversial three farm laws.

“It requires the same unity to find an amicable solution,” he added.

Separate mahapanchayats

Earlier on Saturday, farmer unions held two separate mahapanchayats in Haryana’s Tohana and Punjab’s Khanauri – the two places just around 30 kilometres apart.

The call for the Khanauri conclave was given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, umbrella bodies of several farmer and labour groups.

The Tohana event was called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which had spearheaded the agitation against the Central laws.

Though Dallewal had been a part of the stir against the now-scrapped Central laws, he and several other farmers groups launched the current agitation in February last year, with the SKM that protested at the Delhi borders staying away from it.