Thousands attend khap panchayat in Baraut
ADM expresses regret if farmers sustained injuries during evacuation of the protest site in Baraut on January 26 night
Thousands turned up for a khap panchayat in Baraut town of Baghpat district on Sunday with leaders calling upon farmers to join and strengthen the farmers’ movement at the Ghazipur border.
This was the third such congregation of farmers in the region in as many days after a massive gathering in Muzaffarnagar on Friday and in Mathura on Saturday, both resolving to support the ongoing BKU-led protest at the Ghazipur border against three new farm reform laws. Chaudhary Surendra Singh of Desh khap said that heads of different khaps attended the panchayat, which called upon people to ensure their presence in Delhi to strengthen the ongoing movement. A khap is a traditional social council representing a clan or a region in parts of north India with a Chaudhary as its titular head.
The khap panchayat was also held to protest against the alleged lathi-charge by police who dispersed people from a protest site at Baraut on January 26 night. Additional district magistrate (ADM) of Baghpat Amit Kumar Singh and additional superintendent of police Manish Mishra also shared the stage at the panchayat.
ADM said he regretted it if farmers sustained injuries during the evacuation of the protest site. He said, “I am also the son of a farmer and elderly farmers are
father figures for me. If they had sustained injuries during our attempt to ensure their evacuation from the site of protest, I regret it.”He further said no cases had been registered against farmers yet (in Baraut) and assured that no such move would be made in future in connection with their protest.
The tents and other items, which were in the custody of the police, would be returned to the farmers. Farmers of the Baraut area had staged an indefinite sit-in on the Delhi- Saharanpur highway since December 17 to support the ongoing farmers’ movement.
The police allegedly lathicharged the farmers on January 26 night to disperse them, and several elderly farmers were said to have sustained injuries in the process.
However, at the time, ADM Amit Kumar Singh had claimed that no force was used against farmers. On the other hand, Chaudhary Brijpal Singh, the Desh khap thambedar ( local chief), who was leading the protest, had claimed that at least 15 farmers sustained injuries in lathi-charge. He had also said was taken to the police station and released after a few hours.
The Sunday’s panchayat took place at the tehsil ground in Baraut with farmers pouring in from nearby districts as well in tractor-trollies, many of which are decked up with music systems, the tricolour and farmer unions’ flags. BKU leader Rajendra Chaudhary told the crowd, “The movement has to be continued with full strength.”
“Beshak Dilli mein police walon ne kisano ko dande maare hon, par hum aaj bhi bolte hain ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ (No doubt policemen hit farmers with batons in Delhi, but we are nevertheless saying: hail soldiers, hail farmers),” a local leader told the crowd from the stage.
“Whatever happens, we will respond with non-violence and not violence. Our leaders at protest sites and our panch (leaders of the panchayat) will make decisions and we all will follow them,” he added.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Naresh Tikait and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Chaudhary were expected to attend the khap panchayat in Baraut but they could not do the same as they were pre-occupied with other work.
Farmers from Baghpat and the adjoining districts arrived in the panchayat in large numbers, many of them carrying the tricolour.