Have to fight unitedly, say farmer leaders after KKM, SKM(Non-political), SKM meeting

Chandigarh: Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders Monday held a meeting with the two farmer bodies leading the protest at the borders of Punjab and Haryana for a joint agitation to press the Centre into accepting their demands and said public support is crucial to win the fight.

Emphasizing unity among the farmer bodies, the leaders of three organisations decided to hold another meeting on January 18 to draw a blueprint for a united fight for their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price on crops.

The SKM, which led the 2020 agitation against the now-repealed three farm laws, is not part of the stir of the SKM (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) that has been going on at the Khanauri and Shambhu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 was advanced from January 15 to 13 at the request of the protesting farmers in the wake of the "deteriorating" health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal who has been on a hunger strike for over one and half months.

SKM leaders 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 side, Sarwan Singh Pandher, Kaka Singh Kotra, Abhimanyu Kohar, Surjit Singh Phul, Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande and Gurinder Singh Bhangu were present.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, leaders of the three organisations said the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. KMM leader Pandher said, "We have called another meeting on January 18 where issues like how to ensure victory in the agitation and how to get farmers' demands accepted will be discussed. People want all to fight unitedly."

SKM leader Ugrahan said it has been decided in the meeting that none of the farmer leaders of the SKM, SKM (Non-Political) and KMM will make any statement against each other. "We understand that our enemy and issues are common and we have to fight a joint battle."

"The meeting was held in a positive atmosphere. People expect that the farmer bodies will fight unitedly. We feel that we cannot win by fighting alone. When we come together, we will get the support of people.

"Without the support of people, this agitation cannot be won," he said, pointing out that the 2020 farmers' agitation was won with public support.

The meeting was held after the SKM invited the SKM (Non-Political) and KMM for the meeting to forge unity among farmer bodies for a joint fight against the Centre.

Dallewal, who is the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point since November 26. He has so far refused to take any medical aid despite his prolonged fasting, which has caused his health to worsen.

The attempts for unity between SKM, SKM (Non-Political) and KMM failed in February last year. The fresh dialogue for unity resumed in December after Dallewal sat on the indefinite fast.

Meanwhile, members of SKM (Non-Political), KMM and SKM burnt the copies of the Centre's draft policy on agricultural marketing.