Call special assembly session to reject draft agri policy: Farm unions to Punjab govt

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders on Monday urged the Punjab government to call a special Vidhan Sabha session to pass a resolution to “reject” the newly announced draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing.

The draft policy, released on November 25, prioritises market expansion and technology, but neglects the issue of fair remuneration to farmers, claim farmer leaders.

Amid the ongoing indefinite hunger strike of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the SKM, an umbrella body of 32 farm unions, started preparations for the second mahapanchayat which is scheduled to be held in Moga on January 9.

The unions held a meeting in Moga on Monday. A five-member committee was formed, which assigned responsibilities to separate teams for the mahapanchayat preparedness. The committee took stock of things at the Moga grain market, which is the venue for the farmers’ mahapanchayat. On January 4, the SKM held the first mahapanchayat at Tohana in Haryana.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), president, Harinder Singh Lakhowal alleged that the Centre has backtracked from all the promises. “The second mahapanchayat is going to be held in Moga to get the newly announced draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing by the Centre to states cancelled. The new draft is more dangerous than the old farm laws. The Centre has sent the new draft to states to get it implemented but we will not let it happen. We oppose this proposal and appeal to the Punjab government that a special session should be called on this and the new draft should be rejected,” he said.

Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, general secretary, BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) said, “To intensify our protest, we are going to organise a ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ in the grain market at Moga. Important decisions will be taken during the mahapanchayat and future course of action will be decided.”

Meanwhile, Manjeet Singh Dhaner, president, BKU Dhakaunda, said, “A meeting is being held to save Dallewal and to urge the government to accept our demands. We discussed these issues at a meeting held earlier in Tohana, and we will raise it again in Moga. The Moga mahapanchayat will be stronger. The reason behind Dallewal’s fast is valid, and the government must fulfil our demands to protect the health of our veteran leaders”.

“Along with Dallewal’s health, the focus of the meeting will be to oppose the new draft sent by the central government, which indirectly reinstates the farm laws repealed in 2021. We have even sought an audience with the President to discuss farmers’ issues. If the government still refuses to meet our demands, we will mobilise more people than we did during the Delhi Kisan Andolan,” he added.

Addressing concerns regarding internal divisions within the SKM, Dhaner pointed out that during a meeting on December 21, no delegation from the Dallewal’s faction attended it. He also mentioned that although Dallewal spoke to the media on January 4 for 11 minutes, he did not speak to us for even two minutes.

“The gathering around Dallewal seems to be more focused on creating gaps within the farmers than protesting against the central government. The Dallewal’s faction claims not to be political, but it is clear who is and who is not,” Dhaner added.

“We support the demands raised by Dallewal and his unions, but we do not support how the Khanauri morcha was organised without consulting anyone. While we criticise the government’s actions against the protesters, we disagree with how this particular morcha was organised,” he added.

--- With inputs from Sangrur