Jind mahapanchayat: Rakesh Tikait, farmer leaders fall as stage collapses
This is the first Kisan mahapanchayat in Haryana. Rakesh Tikait has earlier announced that he would be present there to address.
The stage at Haryana's Jind Mahapanchayat where farmers leaders were standing to address the assembly on Wednesday collapsed apparently because of a huge crowd. A video of farmers' leaders, including Bharatiya Kisan Union national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, falling as the stage caves in has surfaced.
The Mahapanchayat, one in the series that have been taking place in the last few days, was organised at Kandela village sports stadium. It was organised by Haryana khap leaders to discuss the future of the ongoing farmers' protests.
This is the first Kisan mahapanchayat in Haryana.
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After farmers' so-far peaceful protest ran into trouble following tractor march fiasco, the protest has been garnering support from panchayats. There have been mahapanchayats at Muzaffarnagar, Mathura and Baghpat in the past few days. But the Jind one was the first one to be attended by Rakesh Tikait.
Organisers earlier said that they made arrangement for 50,000 people. But the presence of Rakesh Tikait has apparently been a crowd-puller and more people than what could be accommodated at the venue reached the spot, possibly leading to the collapsing of the stage. It was not immediately known whether there were any injuries.
After farmers' tractor march on Republic Day deviated from its pre-decided route and resulted in a stand-off with the Delhi Police at ITO and the Red Fort, the Capital Police have launched a severe crackdown on farmers' leaders. Ghaziabad administration reportedly asked protesters to vacate Ghazipur protest site to which Rakesh Tikait said he would rather end his life but not withdraw the protest. His appeal is believed to have infused fresh enthusiasm in the protest and as many farmers headed towards Delhi after his emotional appeal, Kisan mahapanchayats are being held. In the panchayats held so far, khap leaders, in a show of strength, have decided to throw their weight behind the protest.
