Jalandhar: A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled back-to-back two election rallies in Punjab, farmers from Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and SKM non-political have announced to hold peaceful protests, show black flags to PM, after they were denied any chance of holding formal talks on minimum support price (MSP) guarantee law with the PM.
The Prime Minister would be addressing a rally in Patiala in favour of party candidate Preeneet Kaur on May 23 and two other rallies at Jalandhar and Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituencies on May 24. Punjab goes to polls in the last phase of election on June 1.
PM Modi’s visit to Punjab is taking place at a time when SKM non-political completed 100 days of protest today (May 22). Farmers had organised a massive rally on this occasion at Shambhu, Khanauri and Dabwali borders in Punjab and Haryana and Rattanpur border in Rajasthan.
SKM non-political leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher, Jagjeet Singh Dallewal and others had sought time for talks from BJP Punjab leadership to discuss their long pending demand of MSP guarantee law, justice in Shubh Karan Singh’s killing, Lakhimpur Kheri case, compensation to farmers among others.
While the call for showing black flags and punishing the BJP by boycotting PM Modi was given by the SKM during a rally at Jagraon in Ludhiana district on May 21, the SKM non-political too have asked the farmers, labourers and locals to show black flags to the Prime Minister.
The SKM non-political also announced to gherao the houses of BJP leaders in Punjab and Haryana to press the release of three young farmers namely Navdeep Singh, Gurkirat Singh and Anish Khatkar who were arrested during Delhi Chalo protest in the month of March and April. Notably, SKM non-political was leading the Delhi Chalo morcha from February 13.
Incidentally, farmers’ call for protest has brought back memories of January 2022, when PM Modi’s cavalcade was stranded on a flyover for around 30 minutes in Ferozepur district following a blockade by the farmers. The issue had snowballed into a major controversy between the Punjab and the Union government.
SKM non-political urges voters to remember 850 farmer martyrs and 433 injured before casting vote
On the completion of 100 days of protest, SKM non-political urged voters to remember 850 martyrs and 433 others who sustained injuries during farmers protest in 2021 and the Delhi Morcha before casting their vote. They also asked the voters to remember the protest of women wrestlers who were given a cold shoulder by the Modi government.
In a statement, the SKM non-political leaders said, “During PM’s visit to Punjab, farmers would peacefully lead big gatherings to question Modi on farmer’s issues. However, if denied a chance, we would be forced to hold peaceful protests. We will also gherao the houses of BJP leaders on May 28 and question them on their stand on farming woes.”
The union members also announced that irrespective of whichever government comes to power on June 4, their protest would continue. “After June 4, the protest would be stepped up on all borders,” they stated.
‘We have already won the battle, as BJP is facing the heat, opposition talking about MSP guarantee’: SKM non-political
Terming the farmers protest 2.0 a success, BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh spokesperson Tejveer Singh Ambala said that they have already won the battle, as the BJP was facing stiff opposition from farmers in many states while the opposition was talking about the MSP guarantee law.
“Is it not a victory that the BJP was facing the heat in many states while the opposition leaders from Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamta Banerjee, Udhav Thackeray, M.K Stalin to others were talking about MSP guarantee law? We have also come to know that BJP suffered a setback in many agrarian constituencies in Rajasthan too. It is the result of our protest, which completed 100 days today,” he said.
Tejveer also said that the BJP was left to fight a lonely battle and was struggling to hold ground, as its trusted partners like Shiromani Akali Dal, Jannayak Janta Party, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party among others parted ways with them.
Talking to The Wire, SKM non-political coordinator and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee president Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “We have decided to show black flags to PM Modi for a reason. We were not allowed to move to Delhi and forced to sit at Punjab-Haryana borders. Today, when we sought time for talks with the Prime Minister ahead of his two-day Punjab visit, we were given a cold shoulder again.”
Pandher said, “If not talks, atleast we can show black flags to the PM on his visit to Patiala, Jalandhar and Gurdaspur. The government has left us with no option but to protest. We will protest peacefully.”
Earlier, SKM senior leader Darshan Pal also said they were coordinating with all farmer unions including BKU Ekta Ugrahan and the SKM nonpolitical to protest the BJP. “We are coordinating with all farmer unions and asking people not to attend PM Modi’s rally in Patiala. We had already announced to show black flags to PM Modi and we would hold protests tomorrow,” he said.
The SKM leader also said that there was a need for all farmer unions to come together so that the unity, credibility, and identity does not get eroded. “After all we are fighting for the same cause and we should remain united”, he added.
Notably, till date 22 farmers have lost their lives at the ongoing Delhi Chalo morcha at Shambu and Khanauri borders. Farmers have been left to camp at the Punjab-Haryana borders in sweltering heat for their rights.
Ex Haryana minister Anil Vij says he is responsible for firing on farmers
Earlier on May 21, a video of former Haryana home minister Anil Vij went viral after he was gheraoed by farmer unions at Panjokra Sahib in Haryana. Vij publicly took the responsibility of firing on the protesting farmers at Khanauri border in February, where a young farmer Shubh Karan Singh allegedly died of gun shots.
Vij said that since he was the home minister when that incident took place, he takes the responsibility. Shub Karan’s killing became a tipping point in the farmers’ protest after which the Punjab and Haryana government remained at loggerheads. On this occasion, the farmers also urged Vij to open the Shambu border, to which he said that he was not in his capacity to decide anything on this matter.
