Uncertainty Over SKM’s Participation in ‘Ekta’ Talks Amid Dallewal’s Health Crisis
Suspense surrounds the participation of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM Non-political) leaders in the fourth round of the Ekta unity talks, scheduled to take place in Chandigarh on Thursday.
The uncertainty deepened after Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the SKM Non-political leader, suffered a high-grade fever (103°F) and uncontrolled blood pressure on Wednesday morning. In response, an emergency meeting was convened at the Khanauri border, where leaders assessed the situation.
Farmer leader Kaka Singh Kotda stated, “We have called members of Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta) Sidhpur to the Khanauri border on Thursday. Currently, SKM Non-political members are discussing the matter, and we will announce our decision later this evening regarding participation in tomorrow’s meeting.”
Disputes Over Invitations Cloud ‘Ekta’ Talks
Adding to the uncertainty, Bharti Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan chief Joginder Singh Ugrahan raised objections to the invitation letter for the talks. He pointed out that the letter bore signatures only from Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leaders, led by Sarwan Singh Pandher, but lacked the signature of SKM (Non-political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. This has cast doubt over the much-anticipated discussions.
Both unions—KMM and SKM Non-political—have been protesting at the Shambu and Khanauri borders since February 13 last year. SKM Non-political had previously withdrawn from the third round of unity talks on February 11, just hours before the meeting, citing the unavailability of its top leadership.
Previous Attempts at Reconciliation
On February 18, both forums issued a joint letter inviting SKM All India leaders, including Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Dr. Darshan Pal, and others, to participate in the talks and resolve differences. The letter emphasized the importance of unity in the farmers’ movement and urged leaders to attend the meeting “in the public interest.”
The first two rounds of unity talks were held on January 13 and January 18 in Patran, near the Khanauri border, while the third round took place in Chandigarh on February 11. However, only KMM leaders attended the last round of discussions. Before that, SKM All India leaders had met with KMM leaders in Patiala on December 20.
Diverging Views on Protest Goals
Despite internal differences, KMM leaders, including chief Sarwan Singh Pandher, have confirmed their participation in the talks tomorrow. However, Raminder Patiala of SKM All India stated that while SKM All India leaders will attend, they are uncertain about the participation of SKM Non-political leaders.
Currently, the ongoing farmers' protest primarily focuses on demands such as a debt waiver and a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP). However, SKM All India has maintained that the MSP issue is secondary to the Draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, which, they argue, contains elements of the now-repealed three farm laws.
With multiple factors at play—Dallewal’s health concerns, disagreements over representation, and contrasting priorities—the fate of the fourth round of Ekta talks remains uncertain.
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