The Sunday Profile: Gurnam Singh Chanduni, the face behind Haryana’s farmer protests

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The farmers’ motion in Punjab was a couple of months outdated when, performing on a name to protest in Delhi on November 24, 2020, Gurnam Singh Chaduni known as on the protesters to construct the capital “at any cost”, to “break the police”. known as upon. Barricades ”if crucial. The subsequent day, hundreds took to the streets in Haryana by way of a number of blockades, manned by hundreds of policemen.

It was then that the remainder of the nation turned its consideration to the 61-year-old BKU (Chaduni) chief and member of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), main an agitation towards three agricultural legal guidelines handed by the Centre. On 28 August, on the decision of Chaduni, protesters tried to attend a BJP occasion in Karnal, which was additionally attended by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The police motion left a number of farmers injured, the Khattar authorities on the backfoot, the switch of sub-divisional Justice of the Peace Ayush Sinha, and bolstered the truth that the Chaduni-led agitation in Haryana left the state administration now nearly on its toes. has stored. one 12 months.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XeTinELA_k

Actually, it’s not Punjab the place the motion had taken root earlier, it’s now a reason behind concern for the BJP like Haryana. Farmers’ protests for months stored leaders of the ruling BJP and Jannayak Janata Party away from their respective constituencies and compelled them to cancel the programme. And, like in Karnal, behind a lot of the protests are quick video messages issued by Chaduni, calling on farmers to take to the streets.

In July 2020, Chaduni led the primary main agitation towards agricultural legal guidelines, dragging farmers on about 10,000 tractors.

on January 10, His message earlier than Khattar program in Karnal – “Meri birti hai ki iska marodh nikal do (I request you to show the CM a lesson) – Attracted so many farmers that regardless of deployment of round 1,500 policemen and gentle lathi-charge, Khattar’s helicopter needed to abort the touchdown.

Haryana has been witness to Chaduni’s protests over farmers’ points for greater than a decade now, usually involving strategies equivalent to climbing water tanks, standing for a number of days in the midst of a river, or main a parade of semi-clad farmers. is used. His elder brother Gurdeep Singh says, “Gurnam has offered his land for the motion. He at the moment has solely 5 acres of land, whereas earlier he had 14 acres.

Fellow SKM member Yogendra Yadav calls Chaduni a “pillar of strength”. “From the very beginning of the current movement, he has played an important role.”

However, the BJP and the JJP accuse Chaduni of “doing politics”. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij says, “He wants to become another Arvind Kejriwal through the movement. Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister JP Dalal says, “Chaduni is engaged on the directions of Congress. She isn’t a farmer chief however an arhtiya.”

Ahead of the Republic Day protests in Delhi, which noticed widespread violence, a farmer chief, Shiv Kumar Kakka had accused Chaduni of taking Rs 10 crore from the opposition to topple the Haryana authorities. He later withdrew his assertion.

However in July this 12 months, Chaduni himself known as upon the farmer leaders to contest the approaching Punjab elections. The SKM, the pinnacle of any political affiliation that defames the motion, suspended him for per week.

Rumors acquired a brand new wind final month when a Punjab-based industrialists’ physique introduced a brand new social gathering, the Bharatiya Economic Party (BAP), with Chaduni because the chief ministerial face. Claiming that he’s “neither the chief minister’s face nor will contest elections in Punjab”, Chaduni stated, “I stand by my ideology that farmers and laborers (labourers) should contest elections.” He stated that the current system is being run by robber corporations (thieves). “If a gang of thieves gives tickets to contest elections, you have to follow their rules.”

On his name to interrupt police blocks in November 2020, Chaduni advised The Sunday Express, “There is not any regulation to shoot protesters, and we have been ready to face police lathis. If they use lathis, it’s going to carry consciousness in the entire nation, our motion can be profitable. Take the instance of lathi cost on farmers in Karnal just lately.

The Haryana Police has booked Chaduni on costs of try to homicide in reference to the agitation. Says Chaduni, “I’m positive 42 FIRs can be registered towards me.

Criticizing agricultural legal guidelines aimed toward serving to corporates, Chaduni says it’s a do-or-die combat for farmers. “First agriculture can be made a loss-making enterprise. In this manner will probably be straightforward to seize the land of the farmers. Farmers and agricultural laborers will turn into beggars.

Chaduni’s first farmer protest was towards the rise in electrical energy charges for tubewells in 1992. In three many years, he says, the present protest is the longest it has been part of. “I’ve lost 9 kilos in two years.”

With the Center agency on not repealing agricultural legal guidelines, Chaduni says he isn’t positive his motion will obtain it, however believes farmers can now make protest an “integral part” of their lives. see as. “This movement will ruin the BJP… It is a sign of change.”

One of seven siblings, Chaduni began farming after failing to go tenth normal. One of his two sons is unemployed, whereas the opposite raises canine for a dwelling.

On the allegation that his aim is politics, the BKU chief says: “I didn’t come to agitate for this or to reap the benefits of it, however politics wants a change. Remember CM for a day within the film Nayak? The nation desires a change that has been led to by him.”

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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS

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