Signs of discord as farmers' group distances from Haryana leader

Chaduni, who heads the Haryana unit of BKU, had met leaders of political parties over the weekend

Signs of discord appeared to emerge among the agitating farmers after the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), spearheading the anti-farm laws protests, on Monday distanced itself from a prominent Haryana-based farm leader, accusing him of hobnobbing with political parties.

“SKM is not associated with the “all-party meeting” taken up by Gurnam Singh Chaduni with political parties,” SKM leaders Darshan Pal, Shiv Kumar Kakkaji, Jagjeet Singh Dallewal, Yogendra Yadav, Balbir Singh Rajewal and Hannan Mollah said in a statement.

Chaduni, who heads the Haryana unit of Bhartiya Kisan Union, had met leaders of political parties over the weekend as the agitation by farmers on the borders of the national capital entered the 55th day on Monday.

The SKM also constituted a committee to inquire into Chaduni’s activities with political parties and submit a report within three days.

Incensed by the SKM action, Chaduni singled out Kakkaji, a Madhya Pradesh-based farmer leader, and accused him of being an agent of the RSS.

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“These are Kakka ji's allegations who himself is an RSS agent. He was head of Rashtriya Kisan Sangh for a long time, a branch of RSS. They are trying to divide and rule,” Chaduni said.

On Sunday, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said he had participated in a public meeting on being invited by Chaduni. Singh, a former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, had appealed to political parties, particularly those part of the NDA, to support the farmers’ unions in their fight against the farm laws.

Chaduni had also claimed responsibility for disrupting the Kisan Mahapanchayat at Karnal which was to be addressed by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Chaduni’s supporters had dug up the helipad at Karnal and clashed with BJP supporters.

The differences cropped up among farmer leaders on the eve of the tenth round of talks with the Centre on their concerns over the farm laws.

Chaduni has been part of the 40 farmer leaders who have been holding talks with the ministerial panel led by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

The 32 farmer unions from Punjab form the biggest group in the 55-day agitation and remain united. Farmers’ organisations from Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan were roped in to project a national footprint of the protest against farm laws.