Busy in harvest, farmers keep cards close to chest

Tribune News Service

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, April 21

Crop damage compensation, girdawaris, guaranteed MSPs, depleting water table and treatment of canal waters for irrigation have remained key issues of Doaba farmers in repeated protests after the Delhi agitation.

Ahead of the Jalandhar Lok Sabha byelection, several unions have warned of protests if timely girdawaris were not done. While the announcement of compensation for value cuts on wheat crop have at least dissuaded farmers from holding a dharna recently, farmers remain undivided on the larger outcome of demands in the byelection.

SKM meeting on april 30

The issues of Doaba waters, crop compensation and MSP among others will certainly weigh heavy on the bypoll. After the SKM’s meeting on April 30, farmers are likely to announce something. —Manjit Singh, president, BKU (Doaba)

Poll not on mind right now

We are too busy with harvest to bother with the bypoll. The government has made some announcements, we will wait and watch. In villages, no one is telling anyone what’s on their mind. —Salwinder Singh, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee member

While some say there will be massive impacts, others said it was too early to judge the state government based on the works so far.

Manjit Singh, president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Doaba), said: “The issues of Doaba waters, crop compensation and MSP among others will certainly reign heavy on the Jalandhar bypoll. After the Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s meeting in Delhi on April 30, farmers are likely to announce something ahead of the byelection too. The announcement of the bypoll came at a time when everyone was busy with their harvests. We had lots of work in the fields. As far as crop compensation claims are concerned, the work has started in few districts, but the majority are yet to get it. It is too early to say whether the government will stand true to its promises to farmers.”

On water issues, he added, “Farmers of the region are very serious and committed on the issue of water. We have already raised this issue several times and in dharnas repeatedly and will do so in the coming times. The depleting groundwater in Doaba concerns us, so is the gurantee of MSPs and timely payment of compensation.”

Salwinder Singh, a Shahkot-based farmer and leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee said, “We are honestly too busy with our crop harvest to bother with the elections. The government has made some sweeping announcements, it remains to be seen whether it lives up to them. In the villages, no one is telling anyone what’s on their mind. With just a little time to go for the 2024 elections, the people of villages are also tired of electoral processes. Many question whether this bypoll too couldn’t have waited another six months. The government has announced value cuts and crop compensation which have begun trickling in only some villages. There is a long prevailing sentiment of skepticism and distrust among farmers so it will depend on the government’s future conduct and staying true to its promises which way the farmers go.”

Tarsem Singh, a leader of the Punjba Kisan Union (Baghi) said, “The larger demands of farmers from crop compensation and MSP are necessary issues for farmers. However, in the byelection, it is too early for the impacts of these issues to show. The jalandhar bypoll is unlikely to be impacted by these issues formally. It is only the first year of the state government.”

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