MEERUT Preparations are in full swing for the Bharatiya Kisan Union’s (BKU’s) proposed Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar on September 5, with Khap leaders supporting it by organising meetings in villages under their influence.
A similar meeting of Deshwal Malik Khap was convened in Lankh village of Shamli district on Wednesday, in which BKU chief Naresh Tikait made a scathing attack on the ruling BJP.
He called upon farmers and BKU supporters to sink their differences and team up to ensure grand success of the proposed Mahapanchayat on September 5. “It is the responsibility of all to ensure success of the Mahapanchayat,” said Tikait, hoping that “it will be historic”.
Tikait said that if the BJP returned to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2022, farmers would have to pay ₹100 per hour, ₹1,000 daily and ₹3.60 lakh per year for their electricity bills. “The party’s return to power would bring misery for farmers,” he said.
Comparing the price of sugarcane and electricity of UP with neighbouring Haryana, Tikait said “ Sugarcane price in Haryana is ₹350 per quintal and here ( in UP) it is ₹325 per quintal. There farmers pay monthly power bill of ₹250 and in UP it is ₹2100 to ₹2200”.
{{/usCountry}}Comparing the price of sugarcane and electricity of UP with neighbouring Haryana, Tikait said “ Sugarcane price in Haryana is ₹350 per quintal and here ( in UP) it is ₹325 per quintal. There farmers pay monthly power bill of ₹250 and in UP it is ₹2100 to ₹2200”.
{{/usCountry}}Reminding the people about the BKU’s movements, he said all previous governments listened to farmers. During the movement in Bhopa village of Muzaffarnagar in 1989, the state government provided 10 to 11 tractors to those farmers whose tractors were damaged during the movement and also waived off electricity bill of 37 months.
He also mentioned hike of ₹80 in sugarcane price during the rule of Mayawati (BSP) and ₹65 under Akhilesh Yadav (SP). “We should always remember the work done in favourv of farmers”, said Tikait and reminded how late Rajeev Gandhi shifted his rally from the Boat Club in Delhi because of farmers’’ protest.
He said the situation was different now and every possible effort was being made to malign the image of farmers and to defame their ongoing movement.
People in the meeting assured Tikait of extending their full support to the forthcoming Mahapanchayat.
Meanwhile, Thambedar of Gathwala Khap Shayam Singh assured to organise bhandara at the Mahapanchayat to ensure food to the participants.
BKU’s former Muzaffarnagar president Dheeraj Latiyan claimed that people were extending their support to the Mahapanchayat in every village of the region, and it would be a historic gathering.