SC to hear case over med aid to fasting Dallewal tomorrow

Farmers' 'unity' meeting remains inconclusive, round 2 on Jan 18

- Karam Prakash

PATIALA: The key 'unity' meeting between protesting farmer unions and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Monday in Patran town ended without any conclusion.

The two farm unions leading the protests at the Khanauri and Shambhu borders between Punjab and Haryana, in Patiala district -- Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and SKM (Non-Political) -- and the SKM decided to hold another round of 'unity' talks on January 18 to draw a blueprint for a united fight for their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) on crops. The talks are being held to decide on fighting the ongoing agitation unitedly.

After the meeting, SKM leaders said the protests will get public support only when farmer unions fight unitedly, a lesson they had learnt from the 2020 stir in Delhi.

The SKM, which led the 2020 agitation against the now-repealed three farm laws, is not part of the stir that has been going on at the Khanauri and Shambhu borders since February 13 last year after a farmers' march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

The 'unity' meeting, initially scheduled for January 15, was pushed ahead to January 13 at the request of protesting farmers in wake of the deteriorating health of SKM (Non-Political) convener Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a fast-unto-death since November 26.

SKM leaders Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Darshan Pal, Raminder Patiala and Yuddhvir Singh attended the meeting held at a gurdwara in Patiala's Patran town.

From the SKM (Non-Political) and KMM faction, Sarwan Singh Pandher, Kaka Singh Kotra, Abhimanyu Kohar, Surjit Singh Phul, Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande and Gurinder Singh Bhangu were present at the meeting. Farm leaders in the know of the matter said the meeting lasted for hours. The January 18 meeting is scheduled in the same gurdwara.