Farmers Movement Archive

Muzaffarnagar set to host farmers’ protest

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. “For long, 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 Bhartiya Kisan Union, the organisation that is leading the charge in western Uttar Pradesh. He said the mahapanchayat would remain apolitical but it would send a strong message against the anti-farmer policies of the current dispensation. ‘Bid to distract farmers’ 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. 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 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 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. Surendra Singh Ramala, BJP MLA from Chhaprauli, said political parties which had lost their footing in the region were misguiding farmers against the government.

The Hindu

2021-09-05

Ghaziabad