Fearing Lok Sabha poll redux, Haryana's Nayab Saini govt holds out olive branch to farmers

Chandigarh, July 21

The BJP government in Haryana on Sunday reached out to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body comprising over 40 farmers’ unions, for the first time since its below par performance in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.

Top state officials, who held a meeting with SKM representatives, will soon submit a report to CM Nayab Singh Saini, who is expected to take a call on the farmers’ 33-point charter of demands. The official team, led by Chief Principal Secretary to the CM Rajesh Khullar, assured the farmers of an expeditious redressal of their long-pending demands.

SKM leader Rattan Mann told The Tribune the farmers would wait for a prompt response from the CM, failing which the agitation plan finalised by them at a meeting in Rohtak on July 14 would be revived.

The BJP was able to win only five of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state as against all 10 in the 2019 elections. In terms of votes, the BJP’s share fell from 58.21 per cent in 2019 to 46.11 per cent with the Congress’ rising from 28.51 per cent to 43.67 per cent. A strong anti-BJP sentiment among the farming community is said to be one of the major reasons behind the lacklustre show.

Sunday’s meeting is seen as an attempt by the BJP to mollify the farmers ahead of the Assembly poll scheduled in October. “The CM is favourably inclined towards Haryana-specific demands of farmers,” a senior officer, who attended the meeting said, adding another round of talks could also be held to arrive at a consensus on various issues. Besides a legal guarantee for the MSP, the prominent demands of the farmers are timely payment for procured crops, release of pending compensation for crops damaged due to natural disasters and a hike in the compensation amount to Rs 40,000 per acre in case of a total crop loss.

At the meeting, farmer leaders, including Mann, Joginder Nain, Balbir Singh and Ranbir Malik, registered their strong protest the government’s alleged apathetic attitude towards their pending demands. Meanwhile, Mann clarified they would launch an agitation only in case their state-specific demands were not met and that they had no plans to march to Delhi along with Punjab farmers. The latter have decided to resume their “Dilli Chalo” movement after the Haryana Government agreed to open the Shambhu border following court orders.

Likely to meet some demands

• BJP anxious ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections as it could win only five of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in state
• Anti-BJP sentiment among farming community major factor behind poor LS poll show
• Top officials meet SKM leaders, assure them of early resolution of certain demands