SKM to hold talks with Dallewal-Pandher camp on Dec 21
Farm leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Balbir Singh Rajewal part of 6-member panel that will meet SKM (Non-Political) and KMM in Patiala
Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) on Wednesday decided to hold talks with the two farm bodies led by BKU (Sidhupur) leader Jagjeet Singh Dallewal and Kisan mazdoor sangarsh committee (KMSC) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on December 21 to work out modalities to extend support to the ongoing stir.
Announcing this after SKM and Ugrahan-led organisations held a meeting at Chandigarh’s Kisan Bhawan here on Wednesday, BKU (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal said that a six-member committee comprising of farm bodies leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Raminder Patiala, Yudhvir Rana, Darshan Pal, and Hannan Mollah will meet the leaders of Dallewal and Pandher’s organisations.
“We have asked them to come down to Patiala to work out a common minimum programme, so that we may move ahead jointly,” Lakhowal said. However, the farm bodies clarified that they would not work under the command of two organisations spearheading the ongoing stir.
The SKM, which had spearheaded the 2020 farmers’ stir against the now-repealed farm laws, has not been part of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ call, though all the farm bodies are raising the same set of demands but have different viewpoints over the manner in which the protests are being held.
This comes days after farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher wrote to the SKM to join hands with the farmers protesting at Punjab-Haryana border points.
Farmers under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and KMM have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces. Dallewal has been on hunger strike since November 26 and his condition is said to be critical. A ‘jatha’ (group) of 101 farmers made three attempts to enter Delhi on foot on December 6, December 8 and again on December 14. They were not allowed to proceed by security personnel in Haryana.
SKM and Ugrahan-led organisations said that they will continue with their programme of holding protests outside the deputy commissioners’ offices across the country on December 23 and will again meet on December 24 to review the situation.
After the meeting, farm bodies’ leaders also met Governor Punjab Gulab Chand Kataria over pending demands.
