The ongoing protest by the farmers at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana, which entered 200th day Saturday, was further bolstered with Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat joining the agitation and saying their demands were legitimate and Centre should “show a big heart” and address their issues on priority.
The protest, spearheaded by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), is likely to cast a shadow on October 5 Vidhan Sabha polls in Haryana. It will add to the worries of the BJP government in Haryana and the AAP dispensation in Punjab. While ruling BJP in Haryana, looking to secure a third consecutive term, is battling anti-incumbency, the AAP has announced to contest all 90 seats in Haryana, with focus largely on seats bordering Punjab and Delhi.
Vinesh, who hails from Balali village in Charkhi Dadri, first reached Shambhu border and extended support to the protesting farmers.
“Faslon aur naslon ko bachane ke liye hum kisan aur mazdoor parivar ke saath khade hain (To save crops and the future generations, I am standing with farmers and labourers). Your daughter stands with you,” said Vinesh, adding that she is a farmer’s daughter and her family has experienced the daily struggles a farmer faces.
She said it was sad that even though 200 days have passed, farmers continue to sit on the roads.
“Farmers should be heard and they must get their rights. They are feeding the nation with open hearts. They have a big heart and the government should also show a big heart in the matter,” she added.
The farmers have been camping at the two border points since February 13, when their march to national capital was stopped by security forces. Among others, they are demanding a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
“We are citizens of this country and if anyone raises an issue, it should be heard. Everything should not be linked to caste or religion,” she said.
Questioned by reporters on the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana and weather she will contest the polls if offered a ticket by the Congress, Vinesh refused to be drawn into any speculation. “The focus should not be on me. It should be on farmers. I do not know about politics and I have nothing to do with it. The farmers are waging a struggle here. If you talk about politics, you would sidelining their efforts,” she added.
Asked if she would support farmers in Haryana should they launch an agitation, she said, “Why not? Farmers of the country are upset and their problems need to be addressed”.
Vinesh said that when she and other wrestlers protested in Delhi last year to get a sexual assault case registered against former BJP MP and then chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, several farmers had courted arrest in support.
“They were from different unions. I cannot forget their support to the wrestlers’ struggle and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I will always standing with the farmers and labourers of this country,” she said.
The wrestler, who faced a heartbreaking exit after being disqualified ahead of her 50-kg final match at the Paris Olympics, was honoured by farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of KMM; Amarjeet Singh Morhi and Tejveer Singh of BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh); and Surjit Singh Phul from BKU (Krantikari) among others.
“Her support for farmers shows that she understands our issues,” Pandher said, adding, “We appeal to the government to open the Shambhu and Khanauri borders so that we can march towards Delhi to get ourselves heard.”
At Khanauri, Ramkishan Sihag (70), a farmer from village Sisay in Hisar, said, nearly 500 farmers came from Haryana to listen to Vinesh. “This agitation is bound to make an impact on the Assembly polls in Haryana,” he said.
Though maximum number of farmers sitting at the Khanauri border are from Punjab, there is a symbolic participation from Haryana side too.
Beera Saharan (52), a farmer from Kharak Pando in Kaithal said that “we will continue to support the agitation”, while Satyawan Gill (50) from Kakrod in Jind insisted that “unity of the farmers was the need of the hour”.
These farmers have pitched a tent at Khanauri border under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Naujwan Union, Haryana.
A farmer leader from Jind, Azad Palwa said, “The farmers’ agitation will be a big issue in the election as the ruling BJP has not heard us during all these years. They replaced Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini as chief minister, but that is not going to help them much”
He said farmers are yet to be given compensation in lieu of their damaged crops. “Apart from Khanaur and Singhu, farmers are also sitting on dharnas in Uchana, Narwana and Hisar,” he added.
Haryana CM Saini, meanwhile, insisted that “despite propaganda by the Opposition, the farmer knows that the government has taken many steps in their favour”.
“The farmers were insulted during Congress rule when they were given cheques of Rs 2 or Rs 3 in lieu of damage to their crops. During the Congress rule, the payment to farmers in lieu of purchase of their crops was never made timely. The BJP government resolved this problem and transfers the payment directly to their accounts,” said Saini.
Meanwhile, security forces from Haryana continue to maintain vigil at the two border points. Whenever someone goes near to their deployment, one of them warns: “Please don’t come to this side. Otherwise, we will click your photos and will inform our higher authorities.”
The Election Commission Saturday deferred the Haryana Assembly poll date to October 5 from October 1, and counting of votes to October 8 instead of October 4 citing a “centuries-old festival of the Bishnoi community”.
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