Farmers’ Protest: Why Divide & Rule Isn’t Working on Kisan Unions – By Aditya Menon
Addressing a press conference on Saturday evening, 12 December, the coordination committee of 32 farmers’ unions accused the Narendra Modi government of trying to create divides among them and weaken the ongoing farmers’ protest. However, the unions stressed that they are united in their aim – a total repeal of the three farm laws passed by the Centre….
The selective invitation to certain union leaders for the meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier this week is being seen as one of these attempts to create divides. The biggest farmers’ organisation – BKU (Ugrahan) – was left out of the meeting, causing a brief misunderstanding…. However, the organisations, whose leaders did attend the meeting, clarified that they didn’t know that the BKU (Ugrahan) wasn’t invited and found out only after gathering for it….
The other attempt was when Union Minister Piyush Goyal alleged that the protest had been “infiltrated by Maoist elements” and was “hardly a farmers’ protest”…. However, the outfit’s chief, veteran activist Joginder Singh Ugrahan, explained: “These intellectuals and writers have been arrested for criticising this government. Why should we not talk about them?”….
