Why majority of Punjab farmers have stayed away from 'Dilli Chalo' protest
A legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on all crops and a total loan forgiveness for farmers are two of the main demands of the farmers. The farmers are presently encountering strong barricades at the haryana data-borders as they march towards the nation's capital.
Hardeep Singh is an advocate of crop diversification and is aware of the high cost of cultivating rice to Punjab's declining water table.
Jasbir Singh, another farmer, made the decision to remain and tend to his farms. However, he also assists in tending to the crops of the farmers who are protesting.
The MSP on additional crops would ensure diversity and will stable their income, Jasbir Singh added. "We have donated ration items to the protesters and look after the fields of those who have joined the protest," Singh stated.
The only two well-known farmer unions taking part in the demonstration are Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti, led by Sarvan Singh Pandher, and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Sidhupur, led by jagjit singh Dallewal.
The largest farmer unions in punjab, including BKU Rajewal, led by Balbir Singh Rajewal, and BKU ekta Ugrahan, led by Joginder Singh Ugrahan, have disassociated themselves from the 'Dilli Chalo' march.
Pandher and Dallewal were subtly chastised by Joginder Singh Ugrahan on friday for the demonstrations at the data-borders of Shambhu and Khanauri.
It's interesting to note that farmers connected to the Rajewal and Ugrahan tribes were also hard at work tending to their mustard and wheat crops.
"While we agree with the aspirations of farmers, the demonstration organisers did not engage with other farmer unions. According to farmer Gurudev Singh Barpal of Amritsar, "They should also take responsibility for the farmers who lost their lives during these protests."
Mangat Ram, 58, is a member of the Krantikari Kisan Union and comes from the hamlet of Wazidpur in the Firozpur district. He is occupied with overseeing his 12-acre farm and refrained from participating in the demonstration.
According to professor Pramod Kumar, the chairman of punjab University's Institute for Development and Communication (IDC), just one-third of the state's farmers are among the demonstrators who are supporting the 'Dilli Chalo' march through their involvement with two farmer unions.
Although jagjit singh Dallewal is a native of Dallewal village in the Faridkot district, Sarvan Singh Pandher is the representative for the Majha region of Punjab.