Farmers protest: Now, SKM to gherao residences of BJP leaders from February 20-22

This will be followed by the general body and national co-ordination committee ( NCC) meeting of SKM onFebruary 21 and 22 respectively which will decide the future course of action, said Buta Singh Burjgill, NCC member.

BKU (Ugrahan) had on Saturday started several protests at various toll barriers in 12 districts of the state. They said that while they plan to continue the protests till February 22, SKM Punjab’s 37 unions will add more locations on February 20.

It was a role reversal of sorts on Saturday when members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ugrahan (BKU Ugrahan) started a two-day dharna outside the house of BJP Punjab president Sunil Jakhar in Fazilka’s Panjkosi village. Dharnas were also launched outside the houses of BJP leaders Captain Amarinder Singh in Patiala and Kewal Dhillon in Barnala. Interestingly, while the BJP-led Haryana government acted tough on the farmers, party leaders in Punjab were seen welcoming them with refreshments.

The leaders were, however, in Delhi for the BJP national council meeting from February 16-18. Interestingly, all three BJP leaders had outrightly supported the farmers’ protest in 2020-21 when they were part of the Congress.

In Panjkosi village, the dharna was organised about 100 metres away from Jakhar’s house even as the leader has been away for the past two-three days. The agitating farmers questioned his silence over the Haryana government’s repression of farmers.

Talking to The Indian Express, BKU Ugrahan Fazilka president Gurbhej Singh Rohiwala said, “Though we were not part of the ‘Dilli Chalo’ call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), we strongly condemn the repression against them at Shambhu border and Khanauri border by the Haryana government. As Jakhar is the Punjab president of the BJP, we want to question his silence over the issue. The BJP is in power in Haryana and at the Centre, and he is the face of the party in Punjab. So why is he quiet? He needs to speak up.”

Jagsir Singh, general secretary of BKU Ugrahan (Fazilka) said, “As the Lok Sabha polls are drawing near, our question is to all the BJP leaders… On what basis will they be reaching out to the masses to seek votes when they can’t even stand up for farmers? Jakhar had carried out a tractor march in support of farmers when the farm laws were imposed.”

Balwinder Singh, vice-president of BKU Ugrahan in Abohar, said, “Apart from the repeal of the farm laws, the Modi government had made promises to us in writing on December 9, 2021, based on which we had lifted the dharna. Jakhar, Amarinder and other Congress leaders had supported us at that time. Now that they are in the BJP they are mum over those promises and even about the police action on farmers.”

Outside Jakhar’s house, the agitators are in a 100-metre-long tent which covers the entire lane, leaving another 100 metres in front of the house where a bank branch is also located. Arrangements for overnight langar cooking have also been made. The day-night dharnas will see the BKU Ugrahan members sleeping at the protest site.

Sunil Jakhar’s nephew and Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar, who was suspended by the Congress last year, said, “Though we are not at home, we have told the farmers to use the toilets inside our house if they need, and have made arrangements for tea, water as well. We too are farmers like them.” Jakhar refused to comment on the Haryana government’s role in stopping the farmers.

In Barnala, a dharna has been organised outside the house of Kewal Dhillon in IT Chowk. Even as protesters erected a tent in front of his house, Dhillon spoke to The Indian Express and said, “It is their right to protest. I am not at home. I am in Delhi, but I have asked my team to take care of them and offer them tea or water as well.” He, however, could not explain why many protesting farmers were stopped midway at Shambhu and Khanauri.

BKU Ugrahan members stage dharna outside BJP leader Kewal Singh Dhillon’s house.

Outside Dhillon’s house, a poster was seen with his picture alongside other BJP leaders and the message ‘Heartiest Welcome’. The protests here were led by BKU Ugrahan general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, vice-president Jhanda Singh Jethuke, and women’s wing leaders Kuldeep Kaur Kussa, Jyoti Budhlada and Kamaljeet Kaur Barnala.

While protesting against the farm laws earlier, 32 farmer unions in Punjab and BKU Ugrahan had staged dharnas outside the houses of many BJP leaders from October 1, 2020 to December 15, 2021. This led the BJP leaders to use their back gates to commute and they regularly used to face protests from farmers in public functions, but blamed the ruling Congress government for the same.

Meanwhile, the protests at Shambhu and Khanauri have entered its fifth day. Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of BKU Ugrahan, said, “The demands of the farmer unions are for the interests of the farmers. However it would have been good if they had coordinated with all the farmer unions before giving the Dilli Chalo call. It is high time all farmer unions think of fighting for their rights on a joint platform after setting aside their personal differences. This way we can give a befitting reply to the hate mongers and the ones who are projecting farmers in a bad light.”

On February 13, the SKM had issued an appeal to all like-minded organisations to come together to fight unitedly for their common demands.

After the third round of talks with the government, SKM (non-political) and KMM leaders appealed to farmers to join the stir in large numbers at the protest sites. Meanwhile, on Friday, a few organisations from Punjab and Haryana joined the protests at Shambhu and Khanauri.

The SKM, on the other hand, will have its meeting in Jalandhar on Sunday and a general body meeting in Delhi next week to discuss the next course of action.