Farmers defy Desh Khap head, take over protest in Uttar Pradesh’s Baraut
MEERUT : The farmers’ agitation in Baraut town of Baghpat took a new twist on Tuesday when a group of farmers defied the call of Desh Khap chaudhary to end the protest and move to Singhu border to support the ongoing movement there.
The farmers decided to continue the protest on Delhi- Saharanpur highway which entered its fourth day. The protest is now being headed by Chaudhary Brijpal Singh who is Thambedar ( area chief) of Patti Mehar of Desh Khap in the absence of Choudhary Surendra Singh who had moved with his supporters and other Thambedars to Singhu border.
Speaking to HT on phone Chaudhary Brijpal Singh, thambedar and national vice president of Kisan Union, said, “How could I defy farmers who compelled me to sit among them and lead the protest?” On being asked about defying the Chaudhary of his own khap, he said,
“We all respect Chaudhary saheb and are still trying to bring him back in command here”.
To recall, Chaudhary Surendra Singh of Desh Khap had given a call to his clansmen and farmers to sit on dharna and block the Delhi- Saharanpur highway on December 17. They blocked the highway for a few hours on December 19 and sat on an indefinite dharna. Meanwhile, other Khap heads also extended their support to the protest. District magistrate of Baghpat Shakuntala Gautam and SP Abhishek Singh met the protesting farmers to convince them to end the protest.
SP Abhishek Singh said that the farmers gave the DM their memorandum of six demands.
The DM assured to resolve their local issues and to forward the memorandum to concerned authorities for other demands. A panchayat was then held in which Desh Khap head Chaudhary Surendra Singh and other Thambedars decided to end the protest and to move to Singhu border to support the movement there. Singh said that Thambedar Brijpal Singh refused to accept the decision of his chaudhary and was heading the protest of a group of farmers on roadside.
Sources , however, claimed that Chaudhary Surendra Singh changed his stance due to mounting pressure of police.