Lucknow, Nov 17: Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Mahendra Singh Tikait today attacked the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre alleging that they were ignoring the interests of farmers and threatened to launch a state-wide agitation to demand among other things increase in support price of sugar cane.

Addressing a 'Mahapanchayat' of the farmers at the Lakhsman Mela Grounds here, Tikait said both Chief Minister Mayawati and the Centre were turning a "blind eye to the plight of the cane farmers." The government is exploiting the farmers', he said adding despite there being a minister (Ajit Singh) from the western Uttar Pradesh in the Union cabinet, the cane farmers were suffering.

He said the BKU would launch a "jail bharo" agitation throughout the state from November 19 next and also hold a meeting at New Delhi on November 27 if the demands are not met. The administration had made extensive security arrangements during the Mahapanchayat and barricades were put up at important places to prevent the BKU activists from marching towards the Vidhan Bhavan.

The state government had earlier granted permission to the BKU to hold its Mahapanchayat in the state capital.

Bureau Report