Election campaigns to grab power in Punjab must avoid confrontation with farmers struggle for survival

 

Confrontation between election campaigns in Punjab and farmers struggle suits Modi government

Ground Zero

Jagtar Singh

 

With thousands of farmers from Punjab sitting on the borders of Delhi along with colleagues from several other states fighting for their very survival, the situation is just not conducive for the power seeking political parties in this border state to unleash their election campaigns. The contribution of these political parties to this struggle so far is nothing more than lip service.

The Narendra Modi government, with the implementation, though stayed for the time being, of the controversial three farm laws has opened the farm sector to the corporate sharks without holding consultation with the stakeholders, especially in regions like Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh that are going to be hit the most severely. The likely impact of these laws can be assessed by the plight of apple growers in Himachal Pradesh where the Adani group is controlling the market.

The agitation in Punjab was launched in June within no time of the promulgation of these laws through ordinance in June, 2020 and shifted to Delhi borders on November 26 last.

It has turned out to be the longest every struggle and the most peaceful, barring some incidents of violence and that too indulged in by the brutal state apparatus like the latest one in Haryana.

What is now matter of concern is the launching of campaigns with the varying intensity by the three main political parties in Punjab.

Assembly election is also due in UP along with Punjab but the difference is that the Bharatiya Janata Party that is holding power there is virtually non-existent in Punjab.

Of late, in village after village boards are being put up by the people across Punjab barring the entry of political leaders in case the visit is political. Earlier, only the BJP was facing the heat whose activity is not being allowed by the farmers both in Punjab and Haryana. Interestingly, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella organisation leading this struggle, has not given any such call to bar entry of non-BJP parties. Questioning the leaders during their such visits is different and they must be questioned to make them accountable.

Punjab is now witnessing rising tension between farmers and political parties that have launched their election campaign for the Assembly polls due in February next.

As this is not a normal situation, the political parties should have avoided any move that could perceived to hit the broader struggle that is not for power but the very survival.

The one party that has officially launched the campaign is the Shiromani Akali Dal.

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has embarked upon his 100-day campaign to visit every corner of the state addressing couple of meetings every day. His campaign has come into direct confrontation with the farm struggle.

He had to cancel his conclave at the historic  Machhiwara town on Monday amidst fierce protest by the farmers who waved black flags and shouted slogans.

He is being confronted almost every day by angry farmers who want him to answer their questions publicly.

It may be mentioned that both Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal who was then minister in the Narendra Modi government had gone out of the way to defend the three ordinances and that too aggressively, while even questioning the credentials of the agitating farmers. It was much later as the pressure mounted that Harsimrat resigned from the cabinet and the Akali Dal ended its more than two decade old alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Aam Aadmi Party and the ruling Congress in the state are still to launch formal campaigns but their political activity is on. The Congress would go into the election mode only after settling the scores within the party. The organisational wing of the Congress in Punjab is questioning the very functioning (or non-functioning) of its own government.

Many of the farmers are also active in different political parties. The struggle for their survival has united them irrespective of their political differences and the country-side in both Punjab and Haryana represent complete social harmony. The farmer sitting on the border does not has to worry about operations on his lands as others take care.

The launch of election campaigns that are dictated by the only objective of grabbing power can hit this harmony hard, and also the struggle itself.

Rather than launching their power grabbing campaigns, the political leaders should have planned their strategies to strength the farm struggle despite the decision of the SKM not to allow them to use the kisan platform.

The political parties from the opposition had rightly expressed their solidarity with the struggle when the farmers organised Kisan Sansad at Jantar Mantar.

The political parties in Punjab must avoid confrontation  with the farmers struggle that is for survival as this would help only the Modi government.