Resolute on MSP demand, farmers urge Haryana, UP brethren to join protest
Khap panchayats say to gain support of farmers in Haryana and western UP, the protesters must first iron out differences among themselves and put up a united front
Even as farmers and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government have failed to reach a consensus to end the ongoing protest at the Haryana-Punjab border, the former have now reached out to ‘Khap’ panchayats in Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, urging them to put pressure on the Centre.
Although Khap panchayats or community-based social groups have extended their support to the protesting farmers in their demand for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), they have not announced it formally so far.
Also read: Explained: Why are farmers on warpath again? How's SC panel negotiating with them?
Khaps yet to lend formal support to protests
The first meeting of the Khap panchayats was held in Hissar on December 28 and was attended by members of at least 65 community groups. A similar meeting is now being planned to be held in Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh to urge all the farmers and social organisations to come out and join the protests.
“As far as the demand for a legal guarantee on MSP is concerned, all farmers will unanimously agree to it. Yet, the problem is that while there is moral support for the protesting farmers, farmer unions are not united among themselves. While hundreds of farmers at sitting in protest at the Haryana-Punjab border in support of their demands, the fact that many from the community have not joined the agitation shows a lack of unanimity among farmer unions,” Ashok Balhara, national convener of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, told The Federal.
Also read: Punjab bandh: Farmers block roads; emergency services out of purview
Balhara was present at the meeting in Hissar.
Farmers lack unity, coordination, say khap leaders
Even as farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is on hunger strike for 35 days and has vowed that he will accept medical help only if the Union government invites the protesting farmers for talks, lack of coordination and unity among farmer leaders and unions is delaying help and assistance from Khap panchayats.
During the day-long meeting in Hissar, Khap panchayat leaders from 65 different social communities unanimously told the protesting farmers that it will be difficult for them to support the protests since there is no coordination between different farmer organisations.
To resolve the situation, Khap leaders are now trying to work out some kind of understanding between different farmer unions to show a united face of the protests.
Also read: Farmers call for Kisan Mahapanchayat on Jan 4; SC slams govt for Dallewal's fast
“There is absolute unanimity among Khap panchayats that they should support the farmers’ protests and the demand for a legal guarantee on MSP or an increased MSP. We have told the protesting farmers that if they are not united among themselves, then why would any other organisation help them? While (Jagjit Singh Dallewal) is on hunger strike, not all farmer organisations are standing with them. It is only because of lack of unity among farmers that no farmer organisation in Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh is supporting those protesting at the Haryana-Punjab border,” Sombir Singh Sangwan, chief of Sangwan Khap Panchayat, told The Federal.
Why UP, Haryana farmers are important
The mammoth victory of the BJP in the Haryana Assembly elections not only derailed the farmer protests, but it also convinced the voters that the agitation was only limited to Punjab. Three months after the Assembly polls, farmers’ organisations are now reaching out to their counterparts in western Uttar Pradesh to back their comrades in Punjab.
Also read: As protests rage, Centre and farmer leaders discuss ways to cut cost, hike MSP
“The farmers are trying to expand their protest area to Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, but no farm union from these states has taken part in the protests this time. The decision to call for the participation of farmers from Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh has been taken as both states are ruled by BJP governments, and it is imperative that the Union government will take note if farmers from these states join the protest, and invite them for talks,” Balhara said.
BJP ally reaches out to Haryana, UP farmers
Realising that the protesting farmers are reaching out to their counterparts in western Uttar Pradesh, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), an ally of the BJP, has already contacted farmers in these states, urging them not to take part in the agitation.
“The RLD has reached out to farmers and Union minister Jayant Singh has been holding frequent talks with the farmers so that there are no protests. Singh has told the farmers that he is holding talks with the Union government and there is no need to hold protests,” Ramashish Rai, Uttar Pradesh president of RLD, told The Federal.
