Farmers Movement Archive

Muzaffarnagar gears up for show of strength

A sea of farmers is expected in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday to participate in the mahapanchayat called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, in a show of strength against the three contentious farm laws. “The government and a section of media have been describing us as mutthi bhar kisan (a handful of farmers). We want to prove them wrong,” said Rajveer Singh, State vice-president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union. He said the mahapanchayat would remain apolitical but it would send a strong message against the anti-farmer policies of the current dispensation. ‘Price hike too late’ The last-minute attempt of the State government to reach out to farmers with the promise of increasing sugarcane prices doesn’t seem to be working. “It is a lollipop that has come too late in the day,” said Gaurav Tomar of Desh Khap that has 84 villages in Baghpat and surrounding districts. “It is an attempt to distract the farmers of West U.P. from the core issue,” he said. Shokhendra Chaudhary of Battisa Khap in Shamli said on Friday the local sugar mill had put the cane arrears of February this year in farmers’ account. “This government has suddenly woken up to our demands after four years. A word is being spread that cases of stubble burning would be taken back but farmers won’t forget the humiliation so easily.” Ghulam Jaula, a contemporary of Mahendra Singh Tikait, who leads the Muslim section of farmers in the region, said the wounds of Muzaffarnagar riots had not been forgotten. “Every village is sending a bus. Around 500 temporary dhabas are working to feed the participants. We are spending our money to make this mahapanchayat happen so that the deaf and dumb government wakes up to our demands.” Rasthriya Lok Dal and Samajwadi Party have declared their support to the meeting. RLD president Jayant Chaudhary is expected to shower flower petals from a helicopter but sources in the administration said the permission was cancelled. “As he was not supposed to land in Muzaffarnagar, he was asked to approach the Air Traffic Control,” said a senior official. Surendra Singh Ramala, the BJP MLA from Chhaprauli, said political parties were misguiding farmers. “They call the mahapanchayat apolitical but everybody knows that RLD workers are working overtime to make up the numbers,” he said. On the State government suddenly waking up to the demands, Mr. Ramala said both the central and State governments were ready for the talk. “But Rakesh Tikait and the RLD see a political opportunity in keeping the protests alive,” he added. The cane prices, Mr. Ramala said, could not be raised earlier because, during the pandemic, the demand for sugar plummeted. “I feel there will be substantial rise soon,” he added. Keeping the inclement weather in mind, a waterproof tent with a capacity to make space for 200 farmer leaders underneath has been erected at the Government Inter College ground. The mahapanchayat will be held under the gaze of 250 CCTV cameras and drones. Six companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary and two companies of Rapid Action Force have been deployed to support the local police. “Circle officers and magistrates would man the entry and exit gates to the city,” said Amit Kumar, Additional District Magistrate (City). Apart from the two existing exit points, he said, two more have been created. “Mobile medical vans, ambulances, mobile toilets, and fire tenders have already been pressed into service,” said Mr. Kumar.

The Hindu

2021-09-05

Ghaziabad