Since the beginning of the farmers’ sit-ins at Delhi’s borders in November 2020, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan)—the largest by far of the hundreds of unions at the protests—has appeared to be an outlier. While other unions have been protesting at different sites along the border, the BKU (EU) is only present at a sit-in at the Tikri area. The BKU (EU) is the only prominent union to vocally demand the release of incarcerated intellectuals and activists during the protests—media outlets cast aspersions on the farmers due to this, but the union did not dilute its stance.
Joginder Singh Ugrahan founded the BKU (EU), which wields influence in Punjab’s Malwa region, in 2002. He has been leading farmers’ protests in Punjab for around two decades and is known to be a powerful orator. He hails from Sangrur district’s Sunam town and has also served in the Indian Army. In an interview with the freelance journalist Shiv Inder Singh in January 2021, Ugrahan discussed the ideology of the BKU (EU), its dynamics with other farmers’ unions and the ongoing movement’s significance.
Shiv Inder Singh: Could you comment on the evolution of the movement against the three new farm laws, and the interaction between the government and the farmers’ unions which is happening due to it?
Joginder Singh Ugrahan: I think the agriculture minister [Narendra Singh Tomar] is just speaking the way the higher ups have asked him to. Maybe Modi sahib has not given Tomarji the power to take a decision. We knew that the seventh round of talks with the government, held on 4 January, would yield no result. The ministers at the meeting kept repeating the same things they have said earlier. “The laws are very good.” “Please agree on the amendments.” “Citizens of the country like these laws very much”—as if we are not citizens of this country, and just [unnecessarily] bent upon repealing the laws.
The government may still be adamant, but the truth is that the farmers’ movement has come so far that the government is under pressure. The image that the Modi government had chalked up, that it never takes back any statement it makes, that image has been shattered.
Politically, the government is suffering a lot. The BJP has been eliminated from Punjab. The governments of Haryana and Bihar are under threat. Huge protests against the farm laws are being held in Patna, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The states which had never witnessed any opposition to this government, are now seeing people speak up. The farmers’ protest has become a pan-India mass movement, and is also being discussed on an international level.
SIS: The farmers’ unions leading the movement appear to be united, but have many differences. Do these differences have an ideological basis?
JSU: These differences are not related to personal interests, but are ideological in nature—and these are major differences, not small. Some of these farmers’ organisations are of the opinion that compromises proposed by the World Trade Organisation [the ones which farmers’ have opposed in the past] are correct. Ideological differences have come up during this movement as well, but we have all gathered here on a minimum program. It is a good sign that despite ideological difference, we were able to come together with a common minimum program.
SIS: The BKU (EU) has taken decisions that are different from that of other unions, but you have also been implementing the decisions taken by the united front of over 400 farmers’ organisations. For instance, several unions from Punjab crossed the state’s Shambhu and Khanauri border on 26 November 2020, but you crossed it a day later. What is your strategy?
JSU: This interpretation is completely wrong. There is a difference between taking a decision under someone’s pressure and taking calls after understanding the feelings of people. It is not our nature to take decisions due to pressure. The decision to not cross the border on 26 November was taken by more than 400 farmer organisations—we are not a part of their front, yet we implemented the decision. It had been decided to stop wherever the police asked us to, but to hold a strong sit-in protest at that spot itself. But on 26 November, other organisations broke barricades and crossed the Punjab-Haryana border. We decided during a meeting at 8 pm the next day to cross the border.
We have maintained discipline in our union. We have not even let anyone who is not serious come up on our stage.
SIS: You have been accusing people from the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha—a national farmers’ collective—that they invite political individuals on their platform, but recently you called Yogendra Yadav, who heads the Swaraj India party, on your platform.
JSU: Your question does not hold much weight. Not just Yadav [who is a part of the SKM], we have been telling everyone that all participants in this movement should speak on each other’s platforms. When everyone is here on a common minimum program, when we can attend the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha’s meetings, then why should Yadav’s presence itch us? We will also welcome other farmer organisations on our platform.
Let me make one thing clear for you: neither are we a part of a group of 500 farmers’ organisation, or a group of 260 farmers’ organisation, or a group 150 farmers’ organisations, nor are we a part of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha or the front created by 32 farmers’ organisations of Punjab. But we do implement the minimum program and also attend their meetings. We have no problem in speaking on their platforms or calling them on our stage.
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