Protests grow, farmer anger in Punjab intensifies over CM Mann’s ‘about turn’

One of the main concerns of the farmers is pending compensation for crop losses suffered last year due to excessive rainfall in the Malwa region, with this year’s rain adding to the damage. And there is a growing concern that the AAP has betrayed them after claiming to be a sympathiser to their cause.

Last month, farmer unions surrounded Sargarhi gurdwara in Ferozepur after coming to know of the CM’s visit there. “Black caps, black turbans, black socks and even black handkerchiefs were barred. We were promised by the administration that the CM would meet us after the function, but he didn’t meet,” says Harnek Singh Mehma, general secretary of the BKU Dakaunda (Dhaner).

Eight days later, farmers of 75 villages, belonging to the Dhuri, Malerkotla, Amargarh and Mehal Kalan constituencies of Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency (once represented by Mann in Parliament), began a protest – that is still continuing – outside the CM’s office in his constituency Dhuri, under the banner of Nehri Pani Prapti Sangharsh Committee (NPPSC). The farmers were demanding canal water supply, citing depleting the ground water table in the area.

“We wanted to meet the CM, but he didn’t meet us though he visited Dhuri for a public function on September 27,” says Bhupinder Singh Longowal of the NPPSC.

A project to build sub-canals in the area was announced in 1986 under then CM Surjit Singh Barnala, but remains on paper, Longowal points out. “We have been struggling for years. The difference is that as Sangrur MP, Mann would sit with us on dharna, and now he avoids meeting us. We had a meeting with Water Resources Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, but there is no solution.”

Before that, in August, 16 farmer unions, representing groups from across the country, were denied permission to stage a united protest against the Central government in Chandigarh. They were seeking a relief package for the damage caused by recent floods, as well as MSP as a legal guarantee.

On August 21, a day ahead of their planned protest, over 400 farmers across Punjab and Haryana were held. Making matters worse, a farmer, Preetam Singh, died after coming under the wheels of a tractor in the farmer convoy, during a scuffle between the protesters and police.

The angry unions organised a 3-day rail roko from September 28-September 30, causing the cancellation of over 350 trains passing through Punjab. The government finally announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for Preetam’s family, apart from a government job to a relative, and the release of all the arrested farmers.

Sarwan Singh Pandher, the convenor of the protest, says: “We were protesting against the Centre, but still the Mann government applied force on us.”

Adds Jagmohan Singh Patiala, general secretary of the BKU Dakaunda (Burjgill), “Though the Punjab CM had claimed he would resolve the issues of farmers, it seems his focus is elsewhere. Protests against his government have increased as they are trying to suppress us… This never works.”

Drought on one side, floods on another

The main issues the farmers have been raising are pending compensation for crop losses last year due to excessive rainfall in the Malwa region, with unhappiness over the relief announced of Rs 6,800 per acre.

The lack of proper management of canals flowing through South West Punjab, with tail-end Abohar facing drought-like conditions this year as villages 30 km away were flooded due to swollen Sutlej, is another issue that the farmers have been raising.

Shinder Pal Kaur, a villager from Dullowal in Bathinda, says that apart from farm-related issues, they want the government to crack down on the easy availability of drugs as well.

There is also lasting anger over the death of five people in Lakhimpur Kheri, during a protest march over the Centre’s farm laws two years ago. The son of a Union minister is charged in the case.

The protesting outfits

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of 32 farmer unions that came into shape during the year-long farm protest, remains at the forefront of the Punjab protests.

Also in the picture is the BKU Ugrahan, the largest farmer union of Punjab, which often holds individual protests apart from as part of the SKM. The BKU Ugrahan has been raising the drugs menace, apart from farm issues.

Five farmer unions have Balbir Singh Rajewal as the senior leader, while 19 farmer unions of North India, with groups from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Rajasthan, largely focus protests on national issues.

Says Shingara Singh Maan, the president of the BKU Ugrahan’s Bathinda unit: “Our popular slogan is ‘Apni raakhi aap karo, sarkaran toh na jhaak karo (don’t expect anything from governments, it’s best to look after oneself)’. We started raising this slogan about 10 years ago and the voice is getting louder and louder as the number of protesters is increasing every year. But the behaviour of governments is the same.”