Punjab farm unions talk of complete unity, decide to come to the table

On December 25, 2021 – days after the farmers’ agitation was wound up – 22 out of 32 farmer unions announced to contest the Punjab assembly polls under the banner of Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) with Balbir Singh Rajewal as its president. However, when the poll campaign was going on, the SSM was left with just 13 unions which further came down to five after its dismal performance in the Vidhan Sabha elections.

In July 2022, 15 farmer unions were taken back into Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) fold on the condition that they won’t take part in such political activities in future. Meanwhile, many splinter groups came into being after getting separated from BKU Rajewal, BKU Doaba, etc. The Rajewal faction of five farmer unions too had preferred to stay apart.

The unions with Rajewal faction are – Bharatiya Kisan Union Rajewal; All India Kisan Federation; Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Punjab; Bharatiya Kisan Union, Mansa; and Azad Kisan Sangharsh Committee. This faction in its February 28 meeting had stated, “A complete unity among the farmers and different farmer organisations is the need of the hour to take on the mean tactics of the central and state governments which try to divide the farmers and suppress their agitation by using CBI, ED and other central probe
agencies. It was felt that these nefarious designs should be fought unitedly.”
On the same day, a meeting of the 32 farmer unions had also taken place in Chandigarh in which they formed a five-member committee to discuss the issue of uniting with the Rajewal faction.

Sources revealed that this committee is likely to meet with a panel of five farmer unions soon to talk on the issue of “staying united”.

“The talk process is in preliminary stage. We cannot say how many more meetings will happen to come on the same page, but definitely it is a first serious effort to unite the farmer unions,” said one of the farmer union leaders (from the 32 farmer unions) on the condition of anonymity.

Sources confirmed that Rajewal has been told to dissolve SSM to return to SKM fold. Even otherwise SSM is politically inactive for the past one year after the state assembly polls.

It may be noted that all the SSM candidates had contested as independents in the state elections. Except for Lakha Sidhana who contested from Maur constituency of Bathinda district, all others had lost their security deposits.
In July last year, splinter groups of a few farmer unions had joined hands to form SKM apolitical under the leadership of Jagjit Singh Dallewal which still stays as it is.

In February this year, BKU Ekta Ugrahan had split into two with the other faction naming itself BKU Ekta (Azad). Also, BKU Dakaunda had split into two with the other faction led by Manjit Singh Dhaner now being called BKU Dakaunda (Dhaner). There has been no talks of unity with these groups as of now.

It may be noted that Balbir Singh Rajewal had led the farm agitation from the front at Delhi borders. However, there were allegations on him and a few others for initiating backchannel talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the course of agitation for which a fact-finding committee of SKM is still conducting a probe.

“Initially the matter will be discussed at SKM Punjab level and later at national level. So, it will be too early to predict anything. However, unity of unions can definitely give more strength to our fight for farmers’ issues,” said another SKM leader.punjab