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Farm unions’ unity meet inconclusive; next round on Jan 18

The KMM and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), headed by Jagjit Singh Dallewal who is on fast unto death for 49 days, are jointly leading the protests at the Khanauri and Shambhu border points since February 13 last year after a farmers’ march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

Farm unions’ unity meet inconclusive; next round on Jan 18Members of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee protest in Amritsar, Monday. (PTI)

A meeting of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders with the two farmer bodies leading protest at the borders of Punjab and Haryana for a joint agitation to press the Centre to accepting their demands remained inconclusive with the three outfits deciding to meet again on January 18.

Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher said several issues were discussed in a “positive environment” during the meeting following which the senior leaders sought time to discuss the key points and finer details with their respective unions before chalking out the modalities for a joint fight for their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price on crops.

The KMM and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), headed by Jagjit Singh Dallewal who is on fast unto death for 49 days, are jointly leading the protests at the Khanauri and Shambhu border points since February 13 last year after a farmers’ march to Delhi was stopped by security forces. The meeting between the three forums was advanced from January 15 to 13 in the wake of the “deteriorating health” of Dallewal.

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On behalf of SKM, six leaders including Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Darshan Pal, Raminder Patiala and Yuddhvir Singh, participated in the two-hour-long meeting held at Patran in Patiala. From the SKM (non-political) and KMM, Pandher, Kaka Singh Kotra, Abhimanyu Kohar, Surjit Singh Phul, Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande and Gurinder Singh Bhangu were present.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Ugrahan, who heads BKU Ugrahan, said, “We may have ideological differences but we understand that our enemy and issues are common and we have to fight a joint battle. The SKM had earlier endorsed the call of SKM (non-political) and KMM regarding effigies burning of PM Narendra Modi on January 10 and burning the copies of Draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM) today. On Republic Day, all unions will take out tractor march at district level across the country. So, in a way, the joint struggle has already started”.

Pointing out that the 2020 farmers’ agitation was won with public support, he said, “In the coming days, we need to discuss on how to turn this joint fight into a mass movement”.

Ugrahan said it has been decided in the meeting that none of the farmer leaders of the three forums will make any statement against each other.

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Meanwhile, the Supreme Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh would hear on January 15 a plea filed on behalf of Dallewal for a direction to the Centre for implementing a proposal, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops, made to the protesting farmers in 2021 after the farm laws were repealed. The SC will also hear a plea seeking contempt action against the Punjab government authorities for not complying with its directions issued over moving Dallewal to a hospital on December 20 last year. —With PTI inputs

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