As Dallewal’s fast enters Day 46, SKM calls for unity among factions

As farmer leader Daljit Singh Dallewal's fast unto death reached its 46th day, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) put out a clarion call for unity for the fragmented farmers’ unions.

A six-member SKM delegation, along with a 101-member farmers’ jatha, is visiting the Khanauri border today, 10 January, to meet leaders from the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Morcha and the SKM (Non-Political) led by Dallewal, in an effort to bridge differences and unify participants in the ongoing agitation nationwide.

The move comes amidst growing frustration over the Modi government's indifference to the protests led by Dallewal — and a realisation that divided efforts may fail to achieve their objectives.

On Thursday, 9 January, at a rally in Moga, SKM leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan, who is also president of the BKU (Bharatiya Kisan Union) Ekta Ugrahan, read out an eight-point resolution emphasising coordination to highlight common demands.

‘Our target should be the central government and its pro-corporate policies. There should be no attempts to compete or compare with each other,’ the resolution stated.

It also underscored the need for unity among SKM, SKM (Non-Political) and KMM (Kisan Mazdoor Mandal) to oppose the National Agriculture Marketing Policy, which the farmers claim is a repackaged version of the repealed farm laws.

The SKM previously spearheaded the historic 2020–21 farmers' protest, forcing the Modi government to repeal the three controversial farm laws. The movement, however, got divided into two factions over stances on the farmers’ unions’ participation in politics.

The ongoing protest led by the non-political faction of the SKM revolves around demands for a legal guarantee of minimum support prices (MSPs), debt waivers for farmers and other critical agricultural issues across India.

Senior SKM leader Prem Singh Bhangu also emphasised the urgency of unity.

“The law on MSP and debt waiver are common demands for farmers across the country. These cannot be achieved without wider mobilisation and a sustained struggle,” he said.

Notably, the non-political faction of the SKM has not commented on the call for unity.

Besides efforts to bring warring fractions together, the SKM has announced plans to burn copies of the draft National Agriculture Marketing Policy on 13 January as a mark of protest — many Indian communities light bonfires that coincide with harvest celebrations on 13–14 January.

On 26 January, the farmers plan to take out tractor marches across Punjab and other states, echoing the iconic protests of Republic Day 2021.

BKU (Lakhowal) leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal meanwhile called on Punjab's AAP leaders, including chief minister Bhagwant Mann, to meet with prime minister Narendra Modi to raise the farmers’ demands. “If the PM refuses to give time, [the Aam Aadmi Party] should stage a dharna in Delhi,” he said.

Various farmer leaders have accused the central government of ignoring recommendations by the Swaminathan Committee on MSP and procurement guarantees. The parliamentary standing committee’s recent recommendations have been rejected outright by the SKM as incomplete.

“This national agriculture marketing policy is merely the old farm laws in disguise, aimed at benefiting corporates,” Bhangu said. He urged state governments to reject the policy in their assemblies.

Meanwhile, the farmer leaders also demanded intervention from the Supreme Court and from President Droupadi Murmu to address the farmers’ demands and ensure the safety of Dallewal, whose health continues to deteriorate. A meeting between the SC panel and Dallewal has failed to break the deadlock.

Observers suggest the SKM’s call for unity signals a renewed effort to challenge what they see as anti-farmer policies and corporate favouritism by the central government.

Dallewal too had earlier emphasised the unity of the entire nation’s farmers in a pan-India movement, saying not just Punjab, the whole country needs guaranteed MSPs.