Mahapanchayats in UP, Rajasthan and Haryana from Feb 12

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Farmers organisation Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) have announced the schedule for nationwide mahapanchayats starting with Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.

According to an SKM press release, Bilari city in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district and PDM College near Bahadurgarh bypass in Haryana will observe mass gatherings on February 12. Later, Rajasthan will undertake mahapanchayats at Raisingh Nagar in Sri Ganganagar district, Hanumangarh district, and Sikar district on February 18, February 19 and February 23 respectively.

These meetings will discuss the three farm laws opposed by farmers. The SKM condemned these policies and “anti-farmer” statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi about India having previously passed many laws that were not demanded by people.

“The Prime Minister has proved that these laws have not been demanded by farmers. Opposite to it, the government is not serious on fair and genuine demand of Karja Mukti, Pura Daam [Loan Waiver, Full Price,]” they said.

Earlier, farmer leaders spoke during a massive rally in Jagraon city of Punjab wherein farmers and other citizens showed huge participation. Farmers also held panchayat on Shambhu border.

At the Singhu border, leaders expressed their views on the implementation of the upcoming programs and denounced the Haryana government’s proposal to install CCTV on “Tikri morcha.”

“Kisan Mahapanchayats will be organised all over the country in the coming days. The teams of the SKM are planning the programs of the state-wise Mahapanchayats. SKM will not take back the protest until the repeal of three farm laws and legal recognition to MSP,” said farmer leader Darshan Pal.

Mahapanchayats have become a huge reactionary success to the allegedly government-incited violence of January 26. Each meeting is attended by tens of thousands of farmers, from all religions and castes and genders.

According to All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) President Ashok Dhawale this shows how the farmers’ struggle is having an impact in loosening long-standing social barriers. As an example he talked about the mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar on January 29 that witnessed an attendance of one lakh people. The group included Hindus as well as Muslim despite the region’s saddening history of Muslim attacks incited by the BJP-RSS.

Veteran farmer leader Ghulam Mohammad Jola then said, “Out of one lakh farmers present at the Mahapanchayat, at least 30,000 were Muslims. They felt that they are farmers first and Muslims later.”

Accordingly, farmer leader Naresh Tikait in his speech apologized for letting Muslim brothers down in 2013 and also for voting for the BJP and against RLD chief Ajit Singh in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.