NEW DELHI/KURUKSHETRA: In what could be the first signs of a crack among farm unions involved in talks with the government, two non-Punjab leaders — Gurnam Singh Chaduni of BKU (Haryana) and Shiv Kumar Kakkaji of Sarv Hind Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh (Madhya Pradesh) — sparred with each other over a political outreach by Chaduni.
Attributing comments to Kakkaji, a vernacular daily reported on Monday that Chaduni allegedly took a large sum of money from a party to bring down the government in Haryana and was also promised a ticket. Though Kakkaji denied making such allegations, it enraged Chaduni who called the former an “RSS agent”.
Chaduni clarified the meeting with political parties was organised in his personal capacity and he would not attend such meetings in future. His remarks against Kakkaji and the latter’s outburst before their umbrella body, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), on the BKU leader on Sunday created a lot of unease within the group.
Though SKM, in its first statement during the day on Monday, sought to distance itself from Chaduni saying the Morcha was not associated with his meeting with parties and that it had formed a committee to inquire into the matter, it later issued a second statement seeking to repair the damage.
On Chaduni’s meeting at Constitution Club with leaders of different parties including Congress and AAP, SKM said, “Any organisation and party is free to extend its support. However, SKM and the movement will not have any direct engagement with any political party.”
Seeking to clarify his position, Kakkaji released a video message saying, “A daily newspaper has published a news regarding Gurnam Singh Chaduni ji, in which they have stated that it is Kakkaji’s claim that Chaduni has taken Rs 10 crore. I did not make any such a statement... Chaduni ji is my friend and I worry about him. Whatever decision was taken yesterday (on Sunday), it was done in the meeting. I refute this statement published in a vernacular newspaper.”