SKM (Non-political) clears air, to take part in unity talks today

After maintaining a daylong suspense over their participation in the fourth round of unity talks scheduled to be held in Chandigarh on Thursday, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-political) leaders ultimately decided to take part in the discussions.

Earlier during the day, SKM (Non-political) leaders held an emergency meeting at the Khanauri border after their leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's health deteriorated in the morning.

According to farmer leader Kaka Singh Kotda, Dallewal, who is on hunger strike since November 26, is suffering from a high fever and facing blood pressure problems.

"We have asked Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur) members to reach the Khanauri border on Thursday. Currently, SKM (Non-political) members are discussing the matter. We will later inform about the decision," said Kotda.

However, SKM (Non-political) later issued a press statement claiming it would participate in the meeting.

The statement said SKM (Non-political) leaders would first hold a meeting with Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leaders, led by Sarwan Singh Pandher, and then they would participate in the unity talks with SKM (All India) leaders.

Doubts had emerged over holding of the much-anticipated talks after Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) chief Joginder Singh Ugrahan had raised objections to a letter received for the talks. He had said the letter only contained signatures of KMM leaders, and was not signed by leaders of SKM (Non-political), headed by Dallewal. Both unions have been protesting at the Shambu and Khanauri borders since February 13 last year.

Earlier, the SKM (Non-political) had withdrawn from the third round of talks just hours before the meeting on February 11, citing unavailability of its top leadership. On February 18, both forums had invited SKM (All India) leaders, including Ugrahan, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Darshan Pal and others, for a dialogue to resolve differences.

The letter had said, "We hope that your delegation will attend the meeting in public interest."

The first two rounds of talks were held on January 13 and January 18 at Patran near the Khanauri border in which KMM and SKM (Non-political) took part. However, in the third round organised on February 11 in Chandigarh, only KMM leaders had participated. Before that, SKM (All India) leaders had met KMM leaders in Patiala on December 20.

Meanwhile, KMM leaders, including its chief Sarwan Singh Pandher, have maintained that they would participate in the talks tomorrow.

Raminder Patiala of SKM (All India) said SKM (Non-political) leaders had shown better judgment by recognising that unity among all forums was crucial for collective interests of the farming community nationwide. He emphasised that only by standing together and engaging with the government as a unified front could farmers secure their rightful demands.

While the current protest has remained restricted to demands including debt waiver and a law ensuring minimum support price (MSP) for crops, the SKM (All-India) has been claiming that the MSP was secondary to the Draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing as it contained provisions of the now-scrapped three farm laws.