Tikait lends support to Dallewal faction stir
BATHINDA: As the fast unto death by veteran farmer leader and chief of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Sidhupur) Jagjit Singh Dallewal completed five days on Wednesday, a parallel faction of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) in Punjab is considering support to the ongoing farmer agitation after sinking differences.
Prominent farmer leader from Uttar Pradesh Rakesh Tikait has also extended his support to the Punjab farmers who have blocked roads for over a week in support of their demands, including more compensation for land acquired for national highway projects and crop damage due to inclement weather and pest attack, cancellation of cases against farmers for burning paddy residue and bonus for wheat yield loss caused by the virus attack.
Spearheaded by BKU (EktaSidhupur), SKM (apolitical), is holding an indefinite road blockade at six locations in Punjab since November 16.
President of the BKU (Lakhowal) Harinder Singh Lakhowal said on Wednesday that the SKM has called a meeting in Mohali on Friday and a decision to support the ongoing protest is on the agenda. He said the SKM may have differences with the parallel faction, which calls itself a non-political front, but farmers’ rights are a common objective for all.
“The statement of chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party leaders condemning farmer unions for holding protests is highly objectionable.
The state government has failed to honour the promises it made with the farmer unions this year. There is a complete trust deficit with the AAP government and the SKM will discuss if we should come along with Dallewal after sinking our differences,” said Lakhowal, a key constituent of the SKM having Krantikari Kisan Union and BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) among other players.
Meanwhile, in a couple of tweets since Tuesday night, Tikait expressed solidarity with Dallewal adding he would soon meet the leader at Tehna in Faridkot where he is holding fast. Tikait was scheduled to reach Faridkot on Wednesday afternoon but he had to postpone the visit due to farmers’ ‘maha panchayat’ in Lucknow on November 26. “It is unfortunate that an ‘anndata’ is forced to fast. The Punjab government must meet the demands of the protesting farmers,” Tikait tweeted on Wednesday.
The Sidhupur faction of the BKU has also expressed hope that other groups will join them in the agitation. Union’s state general secretary Kaka Singh Kotra said they have not been approached by leaders of these unions but people should get united against the ‘insensitive political dispensation of Punjab’.
Kotra said support in the agitation is not about Dallewal but about demands that the state government is not ready to implement even after accepting it.
“Farmers leaders from Haryana including Abhimanyu Kohar, Jarnail Singh and Lakhwinder Aulakh will join our protest at Tehna on Thursday. We have been appealing to individuals and non-political groups to join the agitation,” said Kotra.
Dallewal’s health under constant watch
Key aides of Dallewal said the leader has lost over 5kg weight. “A team of doctors is attending him but Dallewal is adamant to protest till his last breath. To date, there is no communication from the state government and our agitation will continue,” said Kotra.