Surat : Farmers Revolt Against Mandate system at Sayan Sugar

SURAT : A brewing battle over control of Sayan Sugar intensified on Wednesday as a large gathering of farmers opposed the proposed “mandate” system for electing the cooperative’s president and vice-president, demanding that the decision remain in the hands of the elected board.

The public meeting, held at the Sayan Sugar campus, came amid growing anger among farmer leaders over the delay in electing the cooperative’s top office-bearers. Farmers demanded that the 18 elected directors be allowed to choose the president and vice-president rather than allowing political directives to determine the leadership.

Farmer leader Jayesh Delad alleged that political interference was weakening the cooperative movement built by earlier generations.

“The members have given their mandate, and the 18 elected directors should be allowed to decide. The organisation belongs to the farmers, not political parties,” Delad said.

He alleged that elections were previously completed within days, while the present delay had left the organisation without a president and vice-president for nearly three weeks.

Former Wataria Sugar director Jayesh Kathwada also opposed the system, alleging that leaders arriving through political mandates would focus on power rather than farmers’ interests.

Sayan Sugar director Viral Patel urged farmers to protect the cooperative’s original principles, while South Gujarat Khedut Samaj president Ramesh Pehl called for a united fight to preserve cooperative institutions.

Sayan Sugar director and farmer leader Darshan Nayak said the cooperative’s nearly 30,000 members are its real owners.

“There should be a farmers’ ideology in the organisation, not a political party’s ideology. Those seeking the chair through mandates must remember that farmers and their sugarcane are the foundation of this institution,” Nayak said.

Farmers also questioned the presence of police during the meeting, arguing that they had a legitimate right to assemble peacefully.

The protesters have called for further mobilisation on September 4, when they want the election process to be conducted without political intervention.