Academic turned political activist Yogendra Yadav has decided to opt for a "two year" leave from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM). Prof. Yadav, who plays a key role in charting the activities of the SKM, will soon join the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. He has taken permission from the SKM general body, held here on Sunday, to go on leave.
Talking to The Hindu, Prof. Yadav said that for the next two years, he will be completely involved in an effort to create a bridge between political parties and people's movements, farmers' and workers' movements, and anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) movements. He said he would coordinate not just with the Congress but all political parties that offer genuine resistance. "Right now the challenge is to save the country and the Constitution," he added.
He said his attempt has been to try and connect the struggles, such as the farmers' protests against the three farm laws, to the larger struggles of the country. "For the next two years, I have decided to spend my full energy in building the bridge between the people's movements and political parties that are formally committed to defending the constitutional democracy. Given my involvement in this effort, I would not simply have the time to focus on the work in the SKM and it may not be fair because as I am building this bridge, I may not be able to exclusively represent only one of the movements," Prof. Yadav said.
He said he wanted to take the experience he had gained from the farmers' movement to a higher level. "What is the point of this experience of it stops only at the repeal of three laws. We don't know, if after two years, we will have this Constitution of the country or that it [the country] will be made a Hindu Rashtra of India. So right now, every success must be linked to that larger challenge. Whatever lessons I have learnt, whatever contacts I have built and whatever relationships I have, I will take it to build a bridge between Opposition parties and the movements of resistance. Parliamentary opposition and the opposition on the street — they have to come together," he added.
He said his work in the immediate future will be connected with anything that contributes to the 2024 General Elections such as Bharat Jodo Yatra initiated by the Congress. "Tomorrow, we would be very happy to support if another party takes any such initiative. The goal is very clear, the goal is not any party, any leaders. We are like we were in the Germany of 1930s. At that point, if someone says I want to increase three Parliamentary seats for my party, it would sound like a joke. That's the situation we are in," he added.
On the subject of political dividend from people's movements, he said that during the Uttar Pradesh elections, the SKM held press conferences against the BJP. "But the results have taught us that it was not enough. We have to find ways of translating that energy into electoral politics. If that bridge building does not take place in advance, in time, then it does not have consequences. I do not care which party gains and which party loses. Right now, the larger task is foremost," he said.
He said his organisation, the Jai Kisan Andolan, will remain with the SKM, and Avik Saha, its national president, will replace him in the core committee. "I will continue to function as a volunteer of the SKM," he added.
