Farmers Campaigning on War Footing for ‘Historic’ Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar

Lucknow:With the 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) all set to be held on September 5, the preparations in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh are happening on a war footing.

As part of the preparations, the organisers have put out huge hoardings and banners of Rakesh Tikait, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader, an eminent face of farmers in the district.

Campaign for Mahapanchayat

Farmers have started a campaign in Western Uttar Pradesh, in which they are visiting villages and going door to door to ask people to join the rally at a national level. Numerous meetings are being held and non-stop announcements from temples, mosques and gurdwaras are being made to highlight the issue and tell people in remote areas how the farm laws would harm the farming community.

Appealing to the farmers to reach the GIC ground with tractors, BKU's chief Naresh Tikait said the rally on September 5 is not a farmers' mahapanchayat, but a farmers' crusade. He called upon BKU supporters of different factions to cast aside their differences and team up to ensure the grand success of the mahapanchayat.

Naresh Tikait along with his son Gaurav Tikait, president of BKU's youth wing, and other district-level leaders, have held meetings and panchayats in villages to mobilise people to attend the mahapanchayat in large numbers. Several prominent Khap leaders who have influences in the villages also joined the campaign.

Dharmendra Malik, the spokesperson of BKU, toldNewsclick, "Muzaffarnagar is hosting the event, so there is much responsibility on people as this mahapanchayat is going to be one of the biggest rallies in history. From every village, there will be onelangarand the responsibility is taken by Baliyan Khap, Malik Khap, Desh Khap, Gadhwala Khap and others who will feed the lakhs of farmers coming from across the country, including Haryana, Punjab, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. BKU's workers are responsible for serving water and tea." He added that the estimate for the rally is around two lakh farmers, but the number could cross more than the estimation. He said that the schedule and the road map for future struggles and assembly polls will be discussed at the rally.

BKU's former Muzaffarnagar district president, Raju Ahlawat claimed that people and Khap leaders in every village of the region were extending support to the mahapanchayat and assured community kitchen at the GIC ground to ensure food to the participants. He said it would be a historic gathering.

'Historic' Rally Expected

In a gathering of Gathwala Khap in Sarnawali village in Muzaffarnagar on Tuesday, Naresh Tikait described the upcoming mahapanchayat as a 'Dharmyudh' (crusade) of farmers. "Due to political differences, those not willing to participate in the mahapanchayat will get a bad name in the history as it is going to create history on September 5," he said.

Around dozens of regional chiefs of Khaps attended the panchayat and extended their support. Tikait, in a vote of thanks, appreciated the Khaps and said that they always stood with farmers. "Our land is our mother and it is the identity of farmers. If they do not stand now, they will lose their identity if deprived of their land," he said.

The farmers' leaders said Rakesh Tikait's tears hadgarnered the supportof thousands of farmers from West UP and made the first-ever mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar a success in January. They said this forthcoming event would not only break that record, but it will decide the future of farmers in coming days.

Meanwhile, youngsters would connect with the movement against the farm laws through music. "Even during the struggle for Independence, revolutionary songs of political defiance like 'Pagri Sambhal Jatta' became protest anthems to connect with the young blood. This time too, music will play an important role," Gaurav Tikait toldNewsclick.