Farmers from 15 states head to Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar for Kisan mahapanchayat today

Representational Image (Credits: PTI)

New Delhi: Security has been beefed up in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar as thousands of farmers from 15 states have started reaching the state ahead of today’s (September 5, 2021) ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ in the district. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions, said the this gathering will prove that the agitation, against the Centre’s three farm laws, has the support of “all castes, religions, states, classes, small traders and other sections of the society.”

“The mahapanchayat of September 5 will make the Yogi-Modi governments realize the power of farmers, farm labourers, and supporters of the farm movement. The Muzaffarnagar mahapanchayat will be the biggest ever in the last nine months,” the SKM said in a statement. 

It also added that five hundred ‘langar’ services have been started to arrange meals for farmers, including mobile ‘langar’ system run on hundreds of tractor-trolleys. Additionally, as many as 100 medical camps have been set up for the farmers attending the ‘mahapanchayat’, the statement said. 

A total of 32 farmer unions from Punjab have give a deadline of September 8 to the state government to withdraw cases against protestors, it said.

Muzzafarnagar is the home district of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait. In the Mahapanchayat, Tikait is likely to share the stage with SKM leaders Gurnam Singh Chadhuni, Balbeer Singh Rajowal and Yogendra Yadav.

Meanwhile, the farmers' protest against the three contentious laws has completed over nine months since they first arrived at the Delhi borders. The farmers have been demanding the repeal of the laws which they are afraid will do away with the MSP system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations. Over 10 rounds of talks with the government that has been projecting the laws as major agricultural reforms have failed to break the deadlock between the two parties.

According to a Hindustan Times report, six companies of the provincial armed constabulary (PAC) and two companies of rapid action force (RAF) will be deployed at the farmers’ gathering to maintain law and order, officials familiar with the matter said. Additionally, the event will be videographed and five SSPs, seven ASPs, and 40 police inspectors will be posted on security duty, said DIG of Saharanpur range, Preetinder Singh.