Shambhu Border Action Brings New Life Into The Farmers Movement

Farmers and trade unions came together for Grameen Bandh on Friday, Livelihood issues for both sectors were placed on the anvil with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha that had given the call, holding protests and demonstrations in different parts of the country.

The ‘Delhi Chalo March’ continued alongside with the farmers protesting, and the government blocking their path on the Punjab-Haryana border. Reports of the use of force at the Shambhu border continue to pour in, with talks between these organisations and the central government remaining inconclusive. These are expected to resume on Sunday.

The SKM has decided to ‘immediately intensify’ its agitation and has announced that this shall be done with multiple calls for massive action in coordination with workers and all other sections of the people. SKM’s Punjab unit is meeting on February 18 at Jalandhar and this will be followed by the meetings of its national coordination committee and general body in New Delhi to take stock of developments and suggest the future course of action.

“They will be finalized along with the central SKM and shall be determined by the response of the government of India. The SKM declares, shall not allow the indictable of Lakhimpur Kheri massacre to be spared and farmers all over India shall fight tooth and nail building towards such a resolute movement to send them to jail and achieve MSP (minimum support price), loan waiver and end farmers suicide,” the farmers body said in a statement.

Claiming that the Bandh was a success, the SKM said the strike action reflected the anger of the people against the brutal repression by the Narendra Modi led central government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Haryana government on the farmers of Punjab at Shambhu Border. It further claimed that the mass action has helped to bring back the people’s livelihood issues on the national agenda just ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

While the maximum response to the Bandh call was recorded in the agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana there were protests and demonstrations in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Andaman and Nicobar, Kerala, Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka etc.

At various places shops, industries, markets, educational institutions and government offices remained closed in villages. The SKM has stated that the apple growers protesting in Srinagar were forcefully dispersed by the Police and para military forces.

“This massive action helped to fortify the farmer-worker unity across India and further advance it towards unity of the people up to village, town level is the greatest achievement in the fight against corporate -communal nexus under the patronage of Modi. Government,” the SKM said.

The statement elaborated, “The Grameen Bandh call is in continuation of the demands for MSP@ C2+50% with guaranteed procurement, reduction in input costs, debt waiver, repeal of Electricity (amendment) Bill 2022 and no to prepaid meters, dismissal and prosecution of the union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra Teni for Lakhimpur Kheri massacre of farmers among others. It was preceded by coordinated and joint call with workers of Black Day observation on October 3, three days Mahapadav protests in November in various state capitals and a massive tractor – vehicle rally on January 26.”

Referring to its ‘polite and written appeal’ sent to the Prime Minister of India on February 13 asking him to be sympathetic and considerate towards the farmers who are suffering farm losses, distress, debt, unemployment and the farm labour suffering from hunger, failure of treatment and deprivation, the SKM said, “It is unfortunate that the Prime Minister has shown full sympathy to the corporate companies but has unleashed repression on farmers with lathi charge, pellet firing, tear gas sprays, use of drones, road blockade, house to house threats and continuing with a ‘war like approach’ towards the farmers.”

Stating that three protesting farmers at Shambhu have lost their vision, the statement claimed that the government is blinding the farmers to serve the exploiting big businessmen.

The SKM has further charged that the central government has ‘deliberately vitiated the atmosphere on farmers’ issues’ and is trying to ‘hoodwink people into believing that the PM is truthful and sincere’.

With elections round the corner and farmers being a key voting segment, the political parties are also hardening their stance around the former’s movement, particularly in Punjab.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has expressed solidarity with the farmers. A participant in the round of talks on Thursday, Mann said the incidents in the past few days were unfortunate and could have been avoided. He said that the use of drones to attack the agitating farmers is intolerable and his government has already opposed it. He also raised the issue of suspension of internet services in three districts of Punjab.

He reiterated that barbed fences have been put on the borders with Haryana to segregate Punjab from India which is not fair.

Referring to the talks held on Thursday, he claimed consensus has been reached on various points and more important issues will be resolved soon. He added that he has asked the central government to ensure that the Haryana government does not bully the farmers of Punjab who are protesting peacefully.

The Congress party held a protest against the BJP in Chandigarh while calling for the registration of a case against Haryana home minister Anil Vij.

Party’s Punjab unit chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said, “Our nation stands alone in witnessing the disruption of peaceful protests through such egregious employment of force. How can the suppression of a peaceful demonstration be justified through the use of drones and firearms? This constitutes an abuse of power by the BJP led administration and constitutes a stark instance of police brutality.”

“Why are farmers being barred from entering Delhi via tractors? How does the utilization of a tractor become contentious? The government persists in exploiting our farmers and subsequently labeling them as terrorists. Is this equitable?” he asked.

Meanwhile the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) has announced temporary suspension of its Punjab Bachao Yatra and has demanded immediate lifting of the ‘social, economic and political blockade of Punjab’ along with the restoration of the fundamental rights and democratic freedom of the farmers and other Punjabis.

“The ongoing blockade, imposed jointly by the centre, Haryana and Punjab governments is destroying the social and economic fabric of the already beleaguered state,” said the party’s senior vice president Dr Daljit Singh Cheema on Thursday.