Amritpal’s Rise Raises Concerns Among Farmer Leaders About Attempt to Break Kisan Unity

Farmers in neighbouring Haryana believe there is a plot behind Amritpal Singh's rapid rise to prominence at a time when the Punjab Police are searching for him. Farmers in two states who had previously united to fight a year-long struggle against three farm legislation claim that there may be attempts to undermine their cooperation in addition to political advantages.

Azad Singh Palwa, a farmer leader from Jind, believes the entire situation is just a plot. He and other local farmers are currently sitting on a dharna in Uchana (Jind) in support of their local demands.

Palwa, a farmer who actively took part in the protests against three agricultural legislations, stated, "This is not a problem, yet it nevertheless received a lot of attention. It was exaggeratedly accentuated. This was done solely to create conflict and upset Punjab's tranquillity. This entire game seems to have a political motivation.”

"We are concerned about such developments even though we are presently dealing with a lot of major issues after damage to our crops caused by recent rain and hailstorms," the farmer leader added. In addition, farmers are having difficulty selling their harvest of mustard at the government's set minimum support price (MSP).

Suresh Koth, a different farmer activist from Hisar, believes that "agencies" were responsible for Amritpal Singh's ascent. "There may be the role of those political groups who have failed to get any political support in Punjab," said Koth, president of Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Majdoor Union.

Additionally, such religious or caste-based developments inevitably hinder the movements of farmers and labourers. Farmers and workers in such situations should be aware of such components so that they can successfully deal with them.

Koth said, “Despite all efforts by the opponents to split us, the farmers of Punjab and Haryana kept united during the farmer agitation. Every time the caravans of Punjabi farmers arrived in Haryana, the locals greeted them and extended every kind of aid. On the other hand, we must not overlook the ongoing provision of food for the protesting farmers from the gurudwaras.

"This may be an effort to deflect people's attention from actual issues too," the farmer leader stated. The Amritpal Singh incident happened at a time when a major corporation is having problems. The expulsion of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha and the subsequent arrest of Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, may also be viewed in this context.

Another farmer leader, who did not want to be named, stated "This looks to be an attempt to damage the reputation of a particular group that has always been crucial to the security of the nation. The entire community cannot be represented by a small group of people.”