Remembering Hardev Singh Sandhu, a key figure in agrarian mobilisation

By Harsh Thakor* 

Hardev Singh Sandhu -- who passed away following a sudden heart attack on the night of July 25–26, 2026 at the age of 78 -- was from his early youth until his final days, remained actively involved in agrarian mobilisations in Punjab, participating in campaigns related to farmers’ rights, rural governance, and issues affecting agricultural workers.

Born on June 10, 1948, in Manuke (Tehsil Jagraon, District Ludhiana), Sandhu grew up in a middle‑class agricultural family. He received early religious instruction from his grandfather, S. Ujagar Singh, and became an accomplished Paathi trained in the recitation of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.  

He completed his B.A. and B.Ed. from Jagraon College and earned an M.Sc. in Economics in 1971. He later joined the Government I.T.I. Moga for mechanical training, obtaining multiple technical trade certificates before moving to the A.T.I. in Moga.

During his years in Moga’s student hostels, Sandhu organised students around issues of hostel administration and corruption, contributing to the formation of a local unit of the Punjab Students Union (PSU). He participated in the Regal Cinema student agitation in Moga on October 5, 1972, where students and teachers protested against local administrative actions.

His association with the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) influenced his political orientation. He declined opportunities to emigrate abroad and instead remained engaged in local political activity. Sandhu helped establish the Naujawan Bharat Sabha in his region and served as a Panch in his village. He also contested legislative and parliamentary elections, seeking to represent rural constituencies.

After early work with the Kirti Kisan Sabha, Sandhu collaborated with colleagues to draft the constitution and organisational framework of the Kirti Kisan Union (KKU). He served as its State President for over 15 years.

During the 1990s, a period marked by widespread violence and state repression in Punjab, several KKU leaders—including Jaimal Padda, Gyan Singh Sangha, and Sarabjit Singh Bhittewal—were killed. Sandhu continued organisational work during this period, expanding KKU’s presence across villages and raising concerns about extrajudicial actions, illegal detentions, and civilian harassment. He also publicly opposed religious extremism and armed vigilantism.

Sandhu himself faced police action. After he organised a demonstration seeking accountability in the case involving the disappearance and death of Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Gurdev Singh Kaunke, he was booked under false charges, according to his associates. He remained underground for nearly ten months while police conducted raids and detained family members. The charges were later withdrawn following sustained public pressure.

Sandhu played a role in mobilising farmers from Punjab during the 13‑month protest at Delhi’s borders against the three central farm laws. As part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) network, he spent extended periods at the protest sites, participating in strategy meetings, public addresses, and campaigns demanding statutory guarantees for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and debt relief.

After the suspension of the Delhi protests, he remained involved in strengthening SKM structures within Punjab and coordinating post‑movement organisational work.

Even in his late seventies, Sandhu continued participating in campaigns against corporate land acquisition and the privatisation of Food Corporation of India (FCI) grain storage facilities. He regularly led delegations to government offices on matters concerning rural families and agricultural workers.

Due to internal differences within the earlier KKU structure, Sandhu and his associates reorganised under a separate banner, Kirti Kisan Union Punjab. After sustained dialogue with the All India Khet Mazdoor Kishan Sabha (AIKMKS), the organisation formally affiliated with AIKMKS.

At the AIKMKS national conference in Sasaram, Bihar, in September 2025, Sandhu was elected Vice President. His colleagues credit him with contributing to organisational consolidation at both the national and state levels.

Hardev Singh Sandhu remained active in agrarian mobilisation for more than five decades. His work spanned student activism, village‑level governance, farmers’ unions, and national‑level protest networks. He continued participating in public campaigns until his final days.

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*Freelance journalist