Farmers Movement Archive

Rattled by legal notices, Agra farmers set to invite Rakesh Tikait to hold mahapanchayat

AGRA: In the face of legal notices served to them by local authorities, senior farmer leaders in Agra district at a meeting on Tuesday approved a proposal for organising a mahapanchayat under the leadership of Rakesh Tikait. They assigned the responsibility of formally inviting Tikait to Kirawali block on February 20 to Bharatiya Kisan Union’s Agra division head Gajendra Singh Parihar. More than 30 farmers in Agra district have received legal notices, so far. According to BKU leaders, the final date of Tikait’s visit to Kirawali block in Agra will be finalised in a few days, because Tikait has back-to-back meetings scheduled in several districts of Haryana for the next ten days and he has also been getting calls from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to hold meetings. Expressing their apprehensions over legal notices being issued by local authorities, the leaders said that they had decided to hold a mahapanchayat to see what action they would take against thousands of people attending the gathering. Farmers and social activists in western Uttar Pradesh have been complaining of “intimidation and high-handedness” by police after legal notices were sent to dozens of farm leaders during the ongoing agitation against the three “black laws”. Most of the leaders have been asked to sign a surety bond, promising “lawful behaviour” under CrPC 107/116 [breach of peace]. Warning the farmers to stay away from the protest, notices were also issued by police under CrPC 149 [police to prevent cognizable offence]. Confirming the development, Parihar told TOI: “Farmers want Rakesh Tikait to lead a mahapanchayat in Kirawali block of Agra district on February 20. I will be formally inviting him on their behalf. As he is leading a major protest at Ghazipur border and having a busy schedule, it will take a few days to finalise the date of his visit to Agra.” “Farmers of Agra district will not bow down to legal notices being issued to them by the authorities. The protests will intensify in coming days,” added Parihar. BKU Agra district president Rajveer Lawaniya said, “Despite legal notices being issued by police and administration on the state government’s instructions, farmers in Agradistrict continue to participate in protests. More than 200 farmers from different parts of Agra district are camping at the Ghazipur border. Rakesh Tikait will be leading a mahapanchayat in Agra later this month and we will see how many notices they (authorities) will issue. The central government will have to repeal the three farm laws and ensure legal guarantee for the MSP.”

The Times of India

2021-02-10

Agra