Farmers plan mega rally at Haryana’s Jind on R-Day

After their successful agitation against three farm laws, an impression has gained ground among the farmers that their unity is a major strength and they can prompt the government to take up their issues seriously. In Punjab and Haryana, the farmer bodies have formed many village-level units to give organisational structure at the ground level.

“The farmers have felt the importance of a robust organisation to be ready to launch a major agitation if the efforts were made again to introduce laws similar to those which were scrapped on December 1, 2021 after our agitation,” says Suresh Koth, a farmer leader from Hisar.

In this scenario, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which had earlier spread the agitation against the three controversial farm laws, has now planned a rally at Jind.

“The January 26 rally will be the biggest event of farmers in Haryana after they ended their agitation against three laws in December 2021. Ahead of the rally, meetings are already being held in the villages,” Azad Palwa, a farmer leader from Jind, said.

During the year-long agitation, too Jind had emerged as an epicentre in Haryana with an impressive participation of farmers, including women. Considering its geographical position, Jind is apparently an ideal place for rallies in Haryana. Further, its close proximity to Punjab may also prove an advantage for the organisers. During the farmers’ year-long dharna on Delhi borders too, there was a regular movement of Punjab farmers to the national capital via Jind.

The rally will be organised to raise the issue concerning farming prominently. “Take the example of sugarcane prices. Almost 40 per cent sugarcane has been harvested but the payment is not being released to the farmers by sugar mills till now. The government has not increased the prices of sugarcane yet,” Suresh Koth, who is also a leader of SKM, pointed out.

Farmers’ bodies have also been raising the issue of pending cases that were charged against the agitators during their stir against the three farm laws.

In November 2022, Gurnam Singh Chaduni-led Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) announced to block GT Road (Ambala-Delhi highway) seeking the withdrawal of all cases lodged against the farmers. However, the BKU had backed out from the proposed protest following assurances from Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij about withdrawing all cases registered against farmers.

A demand for a law to ensure legal guarantee of MSP (minimum support price) of crops will also be raised prominently. Sources say the farmers may also seek removal of Haryana minister Sandeep Singh who is facing sexual harassment charges.

The Jind rally will also mark a farmers’ “tractor parade” similar to the one that was organised in Delhi on the occasion of Republic Day in 2021. The event had witnessed large-scale violence especially at Red Fort, though the farmer bodies had termed it a conspiracy to “defame their stir”.