Representative image of farmers during ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ against new agricultural laws in Jind, Haryana
The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), the umbrella body of farmer unions to protest against the Centre’s agricultural laws, is set to organize a mahapanchayat in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar today. It will be held at Government Inter College Ground, Muzaffarnagar. BKU leader Rakesh Tikait had said on Twitter that the mahapanchayat is going to be historic.
Rakesh Tikait tweeted, “Kisan Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar on 5th September will be historic. Let’s go to Muzaffarnagar on 5th September. All of you are invited to the Kisan Mahapanchayat.”
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police has beefed up security in Muzaffarnagar to ensure law and order during the Kisan Mahapanchayat.
Director General of Police Mukul said, “In view of the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar tomorrow, proper arrangements have been made to ensure that there is no law and order problem. Farmers from neighboring states of Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand are also expected to attend the meeting. Chances are.” Goyal told reporters.
Farmers have been protesting at various borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against three newly enacted agricultural laws: the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Agricultural Services Act 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Farmer leaders and the Center have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.
United Kisan Morcha has called for ‘Bharat Bandh’ on 25 September
The United Kisan Morcha (SKM) has also called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Saturday, September 25, after a two-day national conference on the Singhu border.
The farmers’ union, which has been spearheading the movement against the agricultural laws on Delhi’s borders for the past nine months, said in a statement that the SKM National Convention on the Singhu border has decided to “form joint committees of SKMs in all states and districts of India, so as to ensure that the all-India expansion and the intensity of the peasants’ struggle.”
SKM said that in the conference it was also decided to make Muzaffarnagar Kisan Mahapanchayat a massive success on September 5.
“This will mark the inauguration of ‘Mission Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand’, which will be taken to the grassroots level to ensure the defeat of the BJP rule in both the states,” the statement said.
The national convention of SKM was held on 26-27 August at Singhu border near Delhi. More than 2000 delegates from hundreds of organizations from 22 states participated in the conference, the statement said.
(with inputs from ANI)
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