Samyukt Kisan Morcha leaders call shots as parties line up for meet

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 10

“Power with the people” was evident today at the meeting of top leaders of various political parties with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha leadership. The farm leaders dictated the terms and almost all parties towed their line.

Also read: No breakthrough in Karnal, fresh parleys today

Punjab farmers join Karnal dharna

The unions wanted the parties not to organise any big political events in the state till the time the elections were formally announced. Other than the Congress and SAD, all other parties supported the SKM on the issue.

Congress and Akali representatives are learnt to have told the leaders they would discuss the issue with their respective party high commands before taking a call.

As SKM leaders summoned politicians from all parties in Punjab (barring BJP), these leaders queued up outside the venue. As the farm union leaders called the shots, politicians of varied hues waited patiently for their turn to meet them.

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu along with other leaders waited for almost an hour to meet the leaders of 30 unions at People’s Convention Centre here. Sidhu and SAD (Sanyukt)’s Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa were the only party presidents to show up for the meeting, as other parties sent their representatives. The Dhindsas — Sukhdev and Parminder — who came to meet the farm leaders at 11 am were told to wait for their turn, till post lunch, for the meeting.

No poll activity

Anyone who starts political campaign now will be deemed as our opponent. Political activity starts only when polls are announced. — Balbir Singh Rajewal, SKM leader

Cadre to visit Delhi

We will not hold rallies on day the SKM has a special event. The SAD will also send cadre to Delhi border to strengthen the stir. — Akali leader

All should back stir

The Congress has suggested that all political parties should join the farmers in staging a dharna at Delhi borders. — Kuljit Nagra, Congress

Stand by them

AAP has been standing by farmers since the protest began. We accept their demand for legal recognition to poll manifesto.

— AAP leaders

Satnam Singh, president, Kisan Ekta, Chandigarh, called it the “power of democracy” that had “tipped the scales” in favour of people. “Khu aap chal ke pyase kol aaya hai” (the well has walked up to the thirsty), he said.

The first to meet the farmer leaders were SAD representatives led by Prem Singh Chandumajra. They later said they tried to convince the farmer leaders that going to the people was as much their right as that of the farmers.

“We understand the kisan movement should not be affected. We will not hold rallies on any day on which the SKM announces a special programme. We are also ready to support the sangharsh by sending our cadre to the Delhi border protest sites. The SKM is also free to set a quota for participation from every political party and we will adhere to it,” said an Akali leader.

After the meeting, Sidhu refused to comment, but tweeted: “Had a positive meeting with SKM… discussed the way forward!” Kuljit Nagra, who accompanied Sidhu, said they had suggested that all political parties should join the farmers in staging a dharna in Delhi.

At the meeting, the leaders said peace in the state should not be disturbed and the democratic and political process should not be stopped. They said everyone should be wary of actions that could lead to imposition of President’s rule in the state.

“We have asked all parties not to hold rallies till the elections are announced. It not only diverts people from the morcha to rallies, but also divides people along political lines and could threaten the farmers’ morcha against the three agriculture laws. We also wanted to know their (parties) views on free power to farmers,” said Veerpal of Bhartiya Kisan Union Qadian.

Later, BKU leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said they had asked farmers not to gherao leaders when they came for social functions. “Anyone who starts their political campaign now will be deemed as our opponent and dealt with accordingly. Political activity starts only when the elections are announced. Then why do it now?” he said, adding they had asked all parties to ask their elected representatives to stage a dharna outside Parliament.

Rajewal said they had asked all parties to give legal sanctity to their manifestos and come up with a roadmap to fulfil the promises made before elections. “We also reminded them of their promise to withdraw all cases registered against farmers while they were participating in the ongoing protests,” he said.

On their part, AAP leaders Aman Arora and Kultar Sandhwan said: “AAP stood with farmers from the beginning and will always be there. Legal recognition to poll manifesto is the need of the hour, and we accept this. Even if the Congress and Akalis agree not to hold rallies, they will continue their political activity through the government and SGPC, respectively.”

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