Chhavi Bhatia
New Delhi— All eyes are on Muzaffarnagar today where farmers are going to hold the “biggest Mahapanchayat” since their agitation against the contentious farm laws began almost a year ago. Hundreds of thousands of farmers from across the country, majority from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh continue to arrive in the western Uttar Pradesh district that has seen flurry of activity in the last few days since it began preparing for the mahasabha. The event is being closely watched as it is being touted to be a game changer in the northern state that goes to polls early next year and where the Bharatiya Janata Party is hoping to repeat its victory run.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha(SKM) that gave the call for the meeting has maintained that with the mahasabha, farmers will also sound bugle for its campaign against the BJP in the state as it gears up for polls. Buoyed by their campaigns showing results in West Bengal where BJP lost to TMC, the farmers’ body is hoping to make a dent in the saffron party’s performance in the upcoming polls. “BJP is still underestimating what our power is. This country is run by farmers, not divisive forces. The mahasabha is not just a show of strength and unity but also a reality check for the party that its days are numbered,” said Rakesh Tikait, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader.
Top billed leaders of the SKM including Tikait, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Baldev Singh Sirsa, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Gurnam Singh Charuni, Suresh Koth will attend today’s mahasabha that is anticipating a massive turnout, roughly running to about a lakh. Meanwhile, khaps and small unions in Haryana have also announced their support to the farmers, sending representatives to Muzaffarnagar.
Thousands of buses, trucks and private vehicles carrying farmers from Punjab and Haryana started descending at Muzaffarnagar since early Saturday. Their counterparts protesting at various sites like Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur will also be reaching the city to participate in the mahasabha. The contingent includes women and elderly, all of whom have pledged unwavering support to the fight against the new agricultural laws. Carrying dry ration, medicine and other supplies, the travelling protesters stocked themselves for the big day ahead. “BJP has been challenging us repeatedly that we cannot organise any meetings in UP. We will show them what unity is. Haryana, UP and Punjab are together in this fight which is no longer against farm laws but oppression too,” said Gurjant Singh, a farmer from Patiala.
They also say that the event is also a resounding reply to the detractors who say the kisan morcha has fizzled out. “We are expecting a turnout of a few lakh farmers. This revolution is far from over. It’s naive of those to assume that we have given up. There’s no going back till the laws are repealed,” said Kulwinder Kaur, a farmer from village Gharachoun.
