The campaign, which began on August 18, was facing repeated disruptions from farmers agitating against the new central farm laws. One such incident in Moga on September 2 ended in a clash between protesters and the police, leaving many injured. Giving the yatra a break, Badal announced a three-member committee, comprising Rajya Sabha MP Balwinder Singh Bhunder, former Lok Sabha MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and SAD spokesperson Manjinder Singh Sirsa, to address the farmers’ ‘misgivings’ about the party.
On September 10, Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the consortium of 32 agitating farmers’ unions, threatened to oppose all political activity until the farm laws were repealed. The contentious laws will almost certainly be an emotionally and politically charged issue in the Punjab polls, due early 2022. Following the SAD’s split with the BJP last September, Badal has been trying to make common cause with the rural farmers on the issue. Rural farmers form a big chunk of the SAD’s alienated panthic voters— those who take their cues from the Sikh religious establishment.
Panthic voters are upset with the SAD for various reasons: the perceived mishandling of the investigation into incidents of sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2015 and the alleged involvement of SAD leaders in drug trafficking, illegal sand mining and corruption. In the 2017 assembly election, the SAD lost the panthic votes to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress. The tally of 15 seats was its worst assembly poll performance in post-insurgency Punjab (current strength is 14 MLAs).
This story is from the September 27, 2021 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 27, 2021 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Forbidding Fruit
The disturbed snow cycle, the price of imported urea, cheaper imports from the South Asian neighbourhood-the whole world, it would appear, has been conspiring against the apple farmers of Himachal Pradesh.
Chicken Soup for the Heart
Former veejay, actor and now travel influencer, Shenaz Treasury is out with a book based on past romances-All He Left Me Was a Recipe
CITY OF DREAMS
This anthology of stories about Mumbai is like the city itself-crowded and chaotic, but ultimately illuminating
Diverse Vignettes
Edited by Arunava Sinha, The Penguin Book of Bengali Short Stories is a landmark new anthology which includes several previously untranslated works
A BREATH OF FRESH PERSPECTIVE
Ganesh V. Shivaswamy brings a sharp and balanced approach to his three volumes on Raja Ravi Varma
Time Travel
An exhibition in Bengaluru is showcasing an unseen artwork by legendary artist Raja Ravi Varma
INDIA AT CANNES 2024
The 2024 Cannes Film Festival marks the first time in 30 years that India has a feature film in the Palme d'Or competition section. And there's lots more...
Cusp of Greatness
Shriya Pilgaonkar comes into her own as an intrepid reporter in Zee5's The Broken News
THE GREAT DISRUPTOR
Rapper SlowCheeta is trying to shake things up with his EP, Scene Mein Bawaal
Back to Roots
Known for his lavish musicals, theatre director Feroz Abbas Khan returns to classic theatre with his latest, Letters of Suresh