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Section 144 imposed in Muzaffarnagar, adjoining districts ahead of vote counting
The move is aimed at preventing any congregation of farmers and opposition party workers near the counting sites
MEERUT The district administration has imposed Section 144 in Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Shamli and Saharanpur and deployed additional forces in these districts to ensure fair and peaceful counting of votes on Thursday. The move is aimed at preventing any congregation of farmers and opposition party workers near the counting sites.
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait had exhorted farmers to take two days leave from their work and stay around counting centres to guard their votes while the Samajwadi Party and RLD leaders also asked party workers to camp around counting centres to report irregularities, if any.
In 2017 elections, the BJP had won all six constituencies of Muzaffarnagar. But it may be difficult for the party to repeat the performance in the changed political and social scenario after the 11-month-long farmers’ movement.
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait visited the counting centre in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday to take stock of arrangements for counting and called upon farmers to be vigilant on March 10 because farmers didn’t trust the ruling party.
SSP (Muzaffarnagar) Abhishek Yadav, however, denied any possibility of confrontation due to the call given by BKU leaders and opposition parties. “We will take measures for peaceful counting ,” said Yadav.
He said Section 144 had been imposed in the entire district and additional forces were deployed to ensure peaceful counting. Agents of political parties and others would be allowed inside counting centre as per the guidelines.
In the adjoining Baghpat district, the counting centre for three constituencies had been made in Khekra.
Baghpat district magistrate Rajkamal Yadav also denied any possibility of confrontation, saying: “People of Baghpat are cooperative and sensible and will not indulge any such activity.” He said protocol for counting under the purview of law would be followed.
RLD national secretary of Kuldeep Ujjwal, who belongs to Baghpat, claimed that over 10,000 party workers and supporters would be around the counting centre on March 10. On being asked about prohibitory orders imposed in the district, he said: “I doubt people would accept such orders when the issue of guarding votes arises.”
BKU spokesperson Dharmendra Malik said officials imposed Section 144 to prevent crowding around the counting centre. “Farmers are prepared for such a situation and will stay on roads and in nearby areas to keep a close watch on counting. They can reach the counting centre within minutes in case of any information about counting irregularities. Farmers are law abiding people and don’t want any confrontation, but at the same time they won’t allow cheating and loot of their votes,” he emphasised.
Malik added: “We don’t trust this government after witnessing what they did during zila panchayat election in June last year and indulged in wrongdoings to ensure victory of BJP candidates.”
BKU’s Moradabad division president Digamber Singh also shared that all district presidents of Moradabad division (Moradabad, Amroha, Sambhal, Rampur and Bijnor) had been directed to be on alert with their teams in their respective districts and be ready to rush to the counting centres at short notice if the need arises.
Meerut, Saharanpur and Moradabad divisions have 71 constituencies in 14 districts. In 2017 polls, the BJP won 51 out of 71seats. But in the changed political and social equations due to farmers’ movement, the BJP was likely to face tough challenge.
Meanwhile, leaders of SP and RLD had also directed their supporters to stay around counting centres in good numbers so that they could prevent any irregularities during counting.
SP’s senior leader Sudhir Panwar said: “We can’t take the risk of leaving people’s votes unguarded after witnessing what the ruling party did in Bihar elections and in zila panchayat elections in UP last year.”
