India- Government violence instigated against peaceful March

By Harsh Thakor

LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED IN EXPOISNG THIS CONSPIRACY  OR SINISTER PLOT OF THE PROTO-FASCIST RULERS TO DISCREDIT A GENUINE PEACEFUL MARCH BY INSTIGATING VIOLENCE.SIMILAR TO BURNING THE REICHSTAG BY THE NAZIS AND BLAMING THE COMMUNISTS. 

Conspiracy of  neo-fascist state to give an anti-national tilt to one of India’s most genuine revolutionary democratic agitations of all time in Delhi on Republic day –Harsh Thakor

 

Tragically a historic peaceful march in the Capital of over 20 lakh peasants has been foisted as a conspiracy against the nation. By the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).The sinister act of hoisting the Sikh flag on the red fort was undertaken by a BJP agent, Deep Sidhu.He infiltrated the ranks similar to Nazis masquerading as Communists in the burning of the Reichstag. There could not be a better manifestation of neo-fascism penetrating.The Kisan Sangarsh Commitee led by Satnam Singh Pannu and the Bharatiya Kisan Union(Krantikari) played into the hands of the rulers by raising Khalistani politics and robbing the agitation of it's secular democratic prestige.Withot doubt the event was stage  managed by the rulers in power.

 

The marchers stuck to the plan and did not divert from the route. Disruptionist elements from Kisan Sangharsh Commitee with Khalistani overtones violated the discipline or programme of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and stated attacking the police barricades.Tragically one farmer succumbed to police attacks. Tremendous violence is being unleashed with a cross of swords which was instigated by elements hand in glove with the ruling party. The Social media has distorted the picture accusing or framing the participants of violating the norms set for the march. BKU(Ugrahan) secretary told me that this conduct was a complete aberration of the agenda planned with almost every participant adhering to the conditions agreed. It has virtually no w given a licence to the rulers to launch repression, paving the way for justifying terror on the farmers.

 

Quoting Tribune news “Despite being shunned by farmer unions at various stages of the ongoing anti-farm law agitation, Deep Sidhu has been attempting to take a leadership role in the movement for the past several months.”

“Pushed to the periphery of the agitation, Deep Sidhu bounced back one day ahead of the planned tractor march of Tuesday. He was seen campaigning for the march on the Outer Ring Road. The position taken by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee in favour of sticking to the original plan of holding the parade on the Outer Ring Road, along with another extreme Left-leaning body Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari), which is part of the 32 farmer organisations, gave Deep Sidhu the opportunity to push for not following the new route agreed upon.”

In another significant quote of Tribune news “After the hoisting of a saffron flag at Red Fort, actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu is learnt to have drawn flak from protesters for giving communal colour to the farmers' movement.”

“In a few videos that have surfaced on social media, angry farmers can purportedly be seen chasing away Sidhu.”

In one such video where Sidhu is seen doing a Facebook live on a tractor after the flag was hoisted, a group of farmers can purportedly be seen roughing him up and saying "you have damaged the entire movement".

It is fitting that no police barricade was placed at the Singu area near Red Fort and the police openly welcome the entry of the group led by Deep Sidhu.Balbir Singh Rajewal questioned the role of Delhi Police in "facilitating" some groups' march to Red Fort.BKU leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan feels a deep investigation must be made into how this plan was devised to sabotage the march.

I confirmed this news from leaders like BKU(Ugrahan) secretary ,Sukhdev Singh Khokri, Punjabi Journal Surkh Leeh editor, Pavel Kussa and Naujwan Bharat Sabha leader, Rupinder Singh Chaunda. The social media played a sinister game by portraying the march as an act of anarchy or plot against the state, going to the extent of even denying the event as a genuine farmers rally. All were of the firm view that figures like Satnam Singh Pannu must be isolated from the movement,who patronised Khalistani politics.

I reccomend all democrats to carefully read the statement of the BKU(Ugrahan) Joginder Singh Ugrahan, the state president of the organization, said that according to his organization, today's protest march has been successfully conducted in a disciplined manner. He said protest marching on the streets of Delhi is a fundamental democratic right of the people and the Narendra Modi government is looking for an excuse to crush this right. Today people have raised this right of themselves. Along with them, the firku elements strongly condemned the intentions of taking the movement down and using it for their soda purposes. He said that this is a struggle being fought for farmer's demands which is being supported by people of all religions and castes of the society. This movement cannot be allowed to be used for the purposes of creating a religion based state.

 

He said today's disciplined march by farmers has indicated the struggle for farmer s' demands in front of the world and exposed the non-democratic attitude of the Modi government. Today's march message would have been more powerful if it was kept free of firku issues. The flag hoisting of the religion based state has provided the government an opportunity to campaign against the movement. He insisted that there should be a strong effort to keep the secular and democratic character of this struggle safe and such people should be removed from the struggle.

 

A sustained propaganda campaign must be lodged all over the nation exposing the treachery of the rulers in sponsoring anti-people characters to break the backbone of any genuine secular, democratic movement. It is a warning for the times to come, similar to the divide and rule ploy of the colonial British.

 

First Information Report (FIR)’s have been lodged on all the leaders of the agitation like Darshan Pal, Johinder Singh Ugrahan, Rajewal etc which is a perfect manifestation of proto-fascsim and must be resisted with organised strength. Neverthless all these leaders have unequivocally condemned the twist given by Deep Sidhu, as well as the move of leader Satnam Singh Pannu Pannu .

 

It also underlines how any Sikh extremist politics must be tooth and nail opposed. Sadly still some revolutionaries are sympathetic to the hoisting of the Sikh flag in red fort. All genuine Marxists or revolutionaries should condemn such ideas.

 

Sadly an event that should have been written in golden letters in the history of India in exposing how fake the claims are of the nation being  a genuine democracy is now being projected as an anti-national event. Morally, but for the disruption it should have been the greatest ever in exposing the false pretension sof India being a genuine democracy.

 

When watching Arnab Goswami speaking yesterday on ND TV programme I saw no better example of how the social media embraces India turning into a Hindu state and labels all democratic aspirations as anti-national. Morally no vent was given to any liberal speakers yesterday and the programme became a virtual platform for the supporters of Hindutva.

 

The farmers have literally gushed or stormed into the capital of Delhi like a deluge or torrent appearing. A spark was literally turned into a Prairie fire. There could hardly be a better illustration of David taking on the Goliath. Days of meticulous preparations like an army battalion getting itself ready have shown their first in the tractor parade today. Majority of participants from Punjab came from the BKU(Ugrahan) ranks followed by that of the Kirti Kisan Union. Also notable was the big landless labour dalit contingent participating organised by the Zameen Prapt Sangarsh Commitee and the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union.Countless preparatory rallies and meetings were stage in Delhi and in Punjab. There is hardly an adjective to describe the level of intensity and discipline of the participants. In Delhi today a section of farmers entered into confrontation at the barricades and police threw tear gas. However in general it has gone on very peacefully. There could hardly have been a programme symbolizing Neo-fascism so illustratively or dynamically in its very hotbed. Nor has there been an event galvanising such broad sections to crystallize in this manner It depicts the great potential of the Indian masses to challenge or even topple neo-fascist opression. Great tactical maturity was shown particularly by the BKU(Ugrahan) group in not compromising nor being over offensive or violent. The Comrades were watchful of not trespassing boundaries which would lead to uncalled confrontation. The contingent has been so strong that even the might of the organs of the administration cannot shit the cylinder of the boiling lid of indignation. The rage of the farmers resembles that of a tidal wave in an Ocean. Inspite of the several permutations and combinations the basic Unity has been preserved to sharpen the struggle with the cutting edge of a sword. The stage in Delhi was used for projecting many anti-imperialist events or heroic leaders of liberation. Women’s day was commemorated, martyrdom of Ghadr party members etc.Today 8 lakh tractors converged in the manner of a great naval fleet.

 

Some of the most notable preparatory programmes were launched all over Punjab sowing the seeds for the success of the historic event. The manner of conduct was a testimony of the orientation of mass line and deep integration into the day to day lives of the farmers. Great credit must be given to the hard toil of leaders like Rajinder Singh of Kirti Kisan Union,Joginder Singh Ugrahan of BKU(Ugrahan),Shingara Singh Mann of BKU(Ugrahan) for astutely thwarting all divisive or reactionary forces and compromises offered by the rulers. Their voices literally shimmered a spark into the hearts of the farmers. One got vibrations of another town formed in the protest areas. I apologize if repeating again but I cannot hide my great admiration for the relentless spirit of contingents of farmers marching from Punjab and Haryana.It reminds one of the flow of water in an Ocean. Arguably never in the history of India had such meticulous or painstaking preparations been made for a single revolutionary democratic event. The spark of resistance sparkled at a zenith rarely ever seen in India.

 

PREPARATORY PROGRAMMES FOR DELHI MARCH  

 

Farmer s' convoys had started making moves to Delhi from January 20 for the proposed tractor parade to be held on the occasion of Republic Day .On January 22nd a large number of tractors staged the borders first and marched there as large convoys Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, the General Secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) said that by afternoon, the convoys of more than 30 thousand tractors had been moving to Delhi and by late evening farmers were going to Delhi through tractors. He said that even though farmers will march to Delhi as convoys. Jagmahon Singh, General Secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakonda) said that a large number of farmers are reaching Delhi on the invitation of 32 farmer organizations from Punjab. He said that farmers are in enthusiasm after the breakup of talks with the central government. So Republic Day tractor parade will be historic.

 

On the other side, farmers in Punjab still protested in toll plazas, in front of the houses of the leaders belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party, in front of the business places of Ambani and Adani and in the parks of railway stations. Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan said that the district convoys from Khanauri and Dabwali migrated to Delhi under the leadership of the organization to join the Puraman Kisan Parade on January 26 in Delhi instead of marching at 11 am in the morning At 8 the small and big convoys have started passing by. Even the the most powerful tides did not obstruct them. On 20th January a convoy of 30000 tractors set off from Haryana.

 

In support a strong 3 day programme was held on Mumbai at Azad Maidan from January 23rd to 26th involving many spectrums of the opposition, particularly left peasant organizations.Significant mobilization from district of Nasik and Dahanu. It was also supported by parties like Shiv Sena and Congress. Around 12000 farmers participated in the assembly. It included a small section of industrial workers. In general the 3 bills were vociferously and several speakers labelled the current policies as 'fascist'.Rarely have I heard opposition party leaders condemn a ruling party so vociferously or seen so many trends work so collectively. In general the speeches were impressive in illustrating the consolidation of proto fascism.

 

In Nawanshahr (Lajwant Singh) on January 22nd a group of 300 tractors left from the district Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar to join the tractor parade in Delhi under the leadership of Kriti Kisan Union, led by Union State Committee Member Master Bhupinder Singh Waraich, District Secretary Tarsem Singh Bains, Kulwinder Singh Waraich, Paramjit Singh Sangha Shahabpur did. Various convoys were sent to Delhi by Union leaders Makhan Singh Bhanmajara, Buta Singh Mahmudpur, Avtar Kat, Jasbir Deep, Raghbir Singh Asmanpur, Hari Ram Rasoolpuri. Farmer leaders said that the farmers have taken a sharp shape against the agricultural laws and the Modi government has come down to making some moves but the farmer s' resentment and courage is responding to every move of the government.

 

 On 23^rd January a very successful meeting was held jointly by the BKU(Ugrahan) with the Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union at Tikri border.It was addressed by Shingara Singh Mann and Pargat Singh Kalajhar. Notable it constituted bit the landed peasantry and landless agricultural labour.

 

Shingara Mann stated “The central government's loyalty to corporate houses and imperialist financial institutions, and its bitter enmity towards the farmers is responsible for the failure to find a meaningful solution to the ongoing struggle against farm laws. The government propaganda machinery attribute the failure to the stubborn attitude of the peasant leaders whereas the government is behaving unreasonable. ‘These views were expressed by Mr. Shingara Singh Mann, Secretary, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) while addressing a large gathering of farmers, workers, youth, employees and women at Tikri Border today.

 

He said that when the Union government was making it clear during the meeting that the laws would not be repealed at any cost but a committee could be made, however, for discussion then what is the point of such a committee? Welcoming the large gathering led by the Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union at today's gathering, he said that there was need to mobilise the workers to get them involved in the current struggle for the repeal of the agricultural laws. He alleged that the union government intended to trick the farmers into suspending the law for only a year and a half without giving them legal right to purchase all the crops at the minimum support price across the country and without repealing the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 and ordinance related to paddy straw. They are keeping the sword hanging over the heads of the farmers and trying to divide the farmer's organisations by ending the current struggle. He asserted that the farmers' organisations will not allow government’s nefarious succeed.

 

BKU (EU) leader Jarnail Singh Jawandha Pindi sharply criticised the statement of agriculture minister Narendra Tomar, that the farmers' organisations had taken their decision to reject the government's proposal to the press before the meeting. He said that farmers' organisations are not a puppet of the agriculture minister who will make a statement only after having discussion with them. The farmer’s leaders said that when the farmers do not want these laws and the government is asking them to amend them or suspend them for one year without enforcing these laws, then what is the point other than repealing these laws? He said that actually the main force behind the Modi government in enforcing these laws are the corporate houses like Adani-Ambani and the Modi government is taking every possible care of the interests of the corporate houses by putting the interests of the farmers at stake. He said that these anti-agriculture black laws would lead to the death of the farmers and no other proposal would be accepted except its repeal. Regarding the parade on January 26, the farmer’s leaders said that the parade would be conducted in a complete peaceful and disciplined fashion. On this day, while the government will showcase its achievements in a glittering manner, the farmers' tractor parade will show the attitude of the governments towards the common man by presenting a picture of farmers’ suicides, atrocities on dalits and rapes of women in the country. “

 

On 21st January a major solidarity programme mobilising 250 tractors was staged in Nihalsinghwala district.Block Nihal Singh Wala's village rally started from Saidoka to Madhe K, Dhurkot Ransinh, Takhtupura, Bode, Nangal, Lohara, Kusa, Ram, Bilaspur,Vociferous slogans were raised condemning the Modi govt. and most elaborately the speakers summed up the purpose of the Republic day parade. Buta Singh Bhagike, Tiran Saidoke, Jagmohan Singh Saidoke, Hardeep Singh Mada, Kartar Pamma, Shingara Singh Takhtupura  addressed the gathering .They highlighted the essence of the bills in context of the overall oppression of the neoliberal policies of the govt.

On 20th January in Pakora chowk in Tikri border a programme 'Godi media Juth rakha' was staged exposing the lies of the social media.With meticulous detail the anti-people nature of the bills were exposed and the deviationist ploys by the rulers to offer compromises.

Addressing the gathering BKU (EU)’s leaders Shingara Singh Mann and Jaswinder Singh Longowal said that the Modi government has been testing the patience of farmers, who have been struggling in bone chilling cold nights for months to get the agriculture laws repealed. Ten rounds of meetings have gone in which the government have insisted to form a sub-committee. The government resort to the Supreme Court to delay things under the absurd pretext of suspending the laws for a year and a half but all the farmers of the country, under the leadership of the farmer's organisations, are determined to fight till the laws are repealed. Additionally, the farmers demand to make minimum support price (MSP) legal right for all the crops in all the states and to strengthen the universal public distribution system. The farmer leaders said that suspending the laws for a year or for a year and a half would cost the farmers dearly and the sword will keep hanging on them in the same way. Shingara Singh Mann said that the struggle would not relent without repealing the laws.

 

He shared that the rehearsal of tractor parade is going on in full swing in Punjab and Haryana to prepare for the Tractor Parade to be held on March 26 in Delhi. He insisted that the parade will be a peaceful exhibition of the unity on the Republic Day.

On 21st January in Sangat block a major rally was staged from Naruana to Dumwali Another rally was staged in Shakhot area in Barnala, involving 400 tractors. Balwant Mansial and Gurcharan Singh Chahal addressed the gathering.

 

On 19^th January a protest against World trade Organisation burning flags and Effigies of Narendra Modi and WTO.

 

In support a strong 3 day programme was held on Mumbai at Azad Maidan from January 23rd to 26th involving many spectrums of the opposition, particularly left peasant organizations. Significant mobilization from district of Nasik and Dahanu.It was also supported by parties like Shiv Sena and Congress. Around 12000 farmers participated in the assembly. It included a small section of industrial workers. In general the 3 bills were vociferously and several speakers labelled the current policies as 'fascist’. Rarely have I heard opposition party leaders condemn a ruling party so vociferously or seen so many trends work so collectively. In general the speeches were impressive in illustrating the consolidation of proto fascism.

 

Quoting writer Amandeep Sandhu “We all saw the farmers entering Delhi today. The police tried their best to prevent the farmers from entering the Outer Ring Road. Yet, the farmers bore tear gassing, lathi charges, and prevailed to assert their right as citizens to enter their nation's capital. The march was mostly peaceful, non-violent, focussed on removing barricades, no destruction of public property. However, at a few places, sadly, unfortunately, there were skirmishes.”

Here is the speech that changed the Tractor March from the government assigned route to the Outer Ring Road. I mentioned it in my earlier post. The speech is by Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee president Satnam Singh Pannu.

It was KMSC's call to march on Outer Ring Road - the road which all Unions had declared for the Tractor March on January 17. After that, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha had, a few days back, agreed to a government plan to keep the farmers on the outskirts of Delhi, even send them to Haryana. KMSC, an independent union had rejected that call.

 

 Below is a statement from the Delhi Kisan Morcha:

 

Statement of Delhi Kissan Morcha Admins about yesterday's incidents.

 

‘The victory of the farmers’ struggle can be guaranteed only through its pan-India expansion and participation of farmers from all the religions and regions with full ferocity and strength. The antics at the Red Fort on Jan. 26th are an attempt to impose the political banner of one community and one religion upon farmers’ secular and growingly pan-India struggle. The farmers’ struggle is advancing forward to unite farmers on their demands all over India on a secular basis. The Red Fort antics are a scheme to disrupt this direction of the farmers’ struggle.’

 

‘Deep Sidhu and Lakha Sidhana represent this politics of religion and region consistently attempting to infiltrate and hijack the farmers struggle. They have never been part of the farmers struggle. Their attempts to infiltrate were continuously foiled in the past. These representatives were always kept away from the struggling farmers’ stages and even from their protest sites. There have always been attempts on part of the struggling organizations to demarcate from them. Consistent struggle is, therefore, waged by farmer organizations to keep out this religion and region based plank of these people.’

 

‘This time also, during the days preceding the farmers’ march, several warnings have been issued by farmer organizations and farmer leaders against attempts to sabotage the farmer struggle by these representatives of religion-and-region-based-politics.

Convincing evidence is emerging that these agent provocateurs colluded with the government to lead astray the farmers’ parade. It is to be noted that at several specific points the police barricaded farmers’ agreed route and attempted to push them on to the roads leading to Red Fort. These are the same points where these infiltrators and some of their followers put in all their efforts to incite the farmers to move towards Red Fort. They scuffled with the farmer volunteers, abused them and even tended to inflict injuries to them. Even some of the farmer leaders were abused. These facts are being brought out in their statements by farmer leaders. We have also witnessed how the roads leading to Red Fort were left open for these saboteurs. Even the tight security of the Red Fort, and that too on the Republic Day, was nowhere to be seen.’

 

Let’s join our hands to expose and defeat this anti-farmer, anti-people collusion, and exert our utmost efforts to weed out of the farmers’ struggle this politics of religion and region and strengthen the secular character of farmers’ struggle and its pan-India expansion. ‘

 

Harsh Thakor is an independent journalist covering movements all around the country especially Punjab. Written on topics like ‘Maoism’,  ‘International Communist Movement trends’, ‘Nagi Reddy masssline’  in India ,peasant struggles in Punjab and other democratic agaitations on blogs like ‘Democracy and Class Struggle’,’Otto's War Room’ and Frontier Weekly.