Farmers Movement Archive

Huge turnout of women farmers at mahapanchayats

A huge turnout of women farmers on Sunday marked the mahapanchayats or gatherings against the farm laws in Haryana’s Jat belt, and among the Meo Muslims of the Mewat region in Rajasthan. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait, addressing the gathering in Haryana, said that the agitation was a mass movement and would not fail. The two massive rallies, held simultaneously, were addressed by prominent farmer leaders spearheading the agitation, including BKU (Rajewal) president Balbir Singh Rajewal and BKU general-secretary Yudhvir Singh, apart from Mr. Tikait. Representatives of khaps, religious leaders, and political leaders were present. Speaking at Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri, Mr. Tikait said the ongoing agitation was a movement for the farmers’ freedom and did not belong to a particular caste or community. “It is a mass movement. It will not fail,” he asserted. Mr. Tikait said the khaps had fought against the Mughals and the British, and that they were still relevant and must stayed united. “They tried to divide Punjab and Haryana. They might try to create differences among khaps as well,” he said. Mr. Tikait said the present regime was pro-businessmen and they were in the “business of hunger”. “They will increase the price of food as hunger rises. But food cannot be kept locked inside a vault,” he said. Mr. Pal said 500 farmer unions had come together to fight against the farm laws. Mr. Rajewal said a movement reached its logical conclusion when the energy of the youth and the experience of the elderly came together.

The Hindu

2021-02-08

New Delhi