Farmers Movement Archive

RLD to launch protest against attack on party leader in Hathras & farm laws

Muzaffarnagar: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) activists have begun mobilising supporters across rural UP to launch a massive agitation on November 8 to protest the recent lathicharge by police on their leader Jayant Chaudhary in Hathras, as well as the Union government’s farm Acts. According to local sources, several panchayats, meetings and other programmes have been organized already to ensure its success. Party leaders, including Chaudhary, will take part in the agitation. When TOI asked Chaudhary the reason behind his Muzaffarnagar visit just after the Hathras incident, he said, “A panchayat to save democracy will be held on October 8 in Muzaffarnagar. INLD chief and MLA Abhay Chautala, and SP leader Dharmendra Yadav, will attend.” When asked if the Hathras rape case is being politicised, he said, “Efforts are being made to suppress the Opposition. This has never happened before. Opposition has always had space. Something is wrong in the system, the government is behaving brutally.”On October 4, Chaudhary had tweeted, “If you have the right to conduct lathi charge, I have the right to stand with my people, I will be in Muzaffarnagar on October 8”. According to RLD’s west UP spokesperson Abhishek Chaudhary, RLD’s workers are preparing to stage a huge protest against the central and state governments. On Monday, meetings of RLD supporters were held in several villages, including at the famous bandstand in village Soram under Shahpur of Muzaffarnagar. On Tuesday, RLD supporters held several meetings with farmers.Just days before, on September 26, several senior members and over 60 activists of RLD were booked in Muzaffarnagar, for violating Covid-19 protocol while protesting against the contentious farm bills.

The Times of India

2020-10-08

Meerut