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Noida: New farmer union emerges as SKM stares at rift
Three prominent organisations -All India Kisan Sabha, Bhartiya Kisan Parishad, and Kisan Ekta Sangh — broke away from the SKM to form the Kisan Sangharsh Morcha
The farmers’ agitation under the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) banner in Gautam Budh Nagar is currently staring at a split, with some farmer groups forming a separate faction called the Kisan Sangharsh Morcha (KSM), farmer leaders aware of the development said on Wednesday.
The rift reportedly stemmed from disagreements over protest strategies and allegations of betrayal during a large-scale demonstration in December.
The SKM-led protests, involving approximately 5,000 farmers, began in December 2024, at the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal. Their demands included enhanced compensation and developed land instead of acquired land.
The demonstration brought traffic to a standstill on the Noida-GreaterNoida Expressway, but the situation escalated as many protesters were arrested. This crackdown and subsequent events deepened divisions among the farmer groups, said insiders.
Three prominent organisations— All India Kisan Sabha, Bhartiya Kisan Parishad, and Kisan Ekta Sangh — broke away from the SKM to form the Kisan Sangharsh Morcha, accusing the BKU-Tikait faction (a key component of the SKM), of negotiating with officials behind closed doors and abandoning the protesting farmers during the crackdown.
Rupesh Verma, district president of All India Kisan Sabha, claimed that during the December 2 protest, the BKU-Tikait group did not actively support the movement and avoided arrests.
“While others were arrested and spent weeks in jail, BKU-Tikait leaders remained out of custody and struck secret deals with officials,” Verma alleged.
To be sure, Verma of All India Kisan Sabha spent 27 days in jail following his arrest, while other leaders also faced extended incarceration.
Verma said the KSM will focus solely on local issues, such as land compensation, rather than the SKM’s national minimum support price (MSP) campaign. He also revealed that KSM representatives recently met with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath to discuss their demands.
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Meanwhile, the BKU-Tikait faction, along with 11 other farmer groups, including Krishak Shakti, Kisan Ekta Mahasangh, Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, Kisan Manch, among others, held a press conference on Wednesday and refuted the allegations.
BKU-Tikait’s Western UP president, Pawan Khatana, emphasized their commitment to peaceful protests and collaboration with the administration. The group plans to organise a tractor rally on January 26 in rural areas.
“There are multiple farmer organizations with varied interests, and it is impossible to bring everyone together under one umbrella. We, as part of the SKM, believe in peaceful protests and constructive discussions with the administration to address farmers’ concerns.
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Those who have parted ways seem to have their agenda, but our focus remains on working collectively for farmer welfare,” said Khatana.
The division within the SKM is likely to influence the ongoing farmers’ movement in Noida, potentially weakening their unified demands for increased compensation and developed land, said farmer leaders.
