Farmers Movement Archive

Elated over victory, but have lost trust in govt, say farmer leaders in west UP

MEERUT The suspension of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s over a yearlong agitation on Thursday after the Central government accepted the pending demands of farmers evoked a mixed response from farmers and their leaders in western UP.“It was an achievement for farmers that the government eventually accepted their demands and also agreed to form a committee to resolve the issue of MSP after repealing three farm laws. But at the same time, majority of the farmers don’t trust the government until they execute their commitments,” stated farmers’ leaders. “We are happy over our victory, but also feel sorry for over 700 fellow farmers who sacrificed their lives during the movement. Making MSP legal remains a big issue and our organisation has decided to continue its battle for MSP,” said Harpal Singh Bilari, a veteran farmer leader who heads BKU(Asli) and has good following in Sambhal, Amroha and neighbouring districts of western UP. He is also associated with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha since beginning of the movement. He said MSP would be made a political issue as his organisation had given a ‘MSP laao, vote paao’ call. “The government has not clarified how 40,000 cases registered against farmers in Haryana would be taken back besides cases in UP and other states. Farmers are elated over the victory of their movement but have lost trust in the government,” added Bilari. BKU’s National Capital Region president Mangeram Tyagi shared that farmers had a mixed feeling as they were elated over the success of their movement, but at the same time their eyes were filled with tears for 700 farmers who lost their lives to ensure the historic victory.“Withdrawal of three farm laws and acceptance of other demands may give breathing space to the BJP, but they won’t regain the trust of the farmers’ community after what they did in the past one year,” he said. Echoing similar views, Bilari said: “Withdrawal of the movement doesn’t guarantee the revival of trust in the BJP.”Kamehameha Tyagi of Falauda village in Muzaffarnagar and sugarcane farmer Manoj Malik in Paswara village of Meerut said acceptance of farmers’ demands and withdrawal of bills were a “historic victory” for farmers. Jitendra Pal, secretary in Meerut and Saharanpur divisions of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha, said farmers were still doubtful over the intention of the government because many leaders said that the bills could be withdrawn and introduced anytime.

Hindustan Times

09-12-2021

Lucknow