Vishal Sangh was a cane farmers union established in Fiji

Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

 on 1 September 1946, by mainly Sikh

Sikh

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...

 farmers, who refused to re-join the Kisan Sangh

Kisan Sangh

Kisan Sangh was the first farmers' union formed in Fiji on 27 November 1937. This was the result of one man's determination to improve the plight of Fiji's Indian cane farmers...

 after its reunification following the split of the Kisan Sangh into two factions in 1943. It was led by Mehar Singh

Mehar Singh

Padri Mehar Singh was one of the founding members of Fiji's Kisan Sangh when it was established in 1937. He remained a prominent member of the union until 1943, when he and Ramcharan Singh led a faction that supported the strike instigated by the rival union, Maha Sangh, led by A.D. Patel...

, one of the founding members of the Kisan Sangh and its former vice-president.

The Vishal Sangh played an active role in negotiations for cane contracts in 1950 and 1960 but always aligned itself with A.D. Patel

A.D. Patel

Ambalal Dahyabhai Patel, better known as A.D. Patel, was a Fiji Indian politician, farmers' leader and founder and leader of the National Federation Party. Patel was uncompromisingly committed to a vision of an independent Fiji, with full racial integration...

 and the Maha Sangh

Maha Sangh

Akhil Fiji Krishak Maha Sangh was a sugar cane farmers' union formed on 15 June 1941 in opposition to the existing union, the Kisan Sangh. Supporters of Kisan Sangh tried to stop the formation of the Maha Sangh but were unsuccessful. The people responsible for the formation of a second sugar cane...

. It was regarded by many as a tool of A.D. Patel in his political ambitions. The Sikhs supporting the Vishal Sangh remained loyal members of
Federation Party

National Federation Party (Fiji)

The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...

 for many years.

Because of its small support base, the Vishal Sangh had an insignificant impact on the Fiji Sugar Industry after 1960.

See also

• Kisan Sangh (Fiji)
• Maha Sangh (Fiji)
• Federation of Cane Growers (Fiji)
  Federation of Cane Growers (Fiji)
  The Federation of Cane Growers was formed as an umbrella organisation to negotiate the new cane contract due to take effect from 1960 with the Colonial Sugar Refining Company.- Negotiations for 1960 cane contract :...
  
  
• National Farmers Union (Fiji)
  National Farmers Union (Fiji)
  The National Farmers Union is one of Fiji's largest trade unions. It was launched in Labasa in July 1978 under the auspices of the Fiji Trades Union Congress, with Mahendra Chaudhry as its first General Secretary...
  
  
• Sugar Cane Farmers Unions in Fiji
  Sugar Cane Farmers Unions in Fiji
  There have been numerous sugar cane farmers' unions in Fiji. Some have been regionally based, like the Labasa Kisan Sangh, the Rewa Planters Union and the Southern Division Kisan Sangh. Other farmers unions were formed to provide leverage to sections of the community...