Don’t send any invites to BJP leaders: BKU

MEERUT: A panchayat of farmers held at the Bharatiya Kisan Union’s headquarter in Sisauli ( Muzaffarnagar) appealed to people to not invite Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to any family function or programme till the prevailing deadlock between farmers and government ended.

On the other hand, a meeting of BJP MPs and MLAs of western UP was held at the residence of union minister Sanjeev Baliyan in New Delhi and they resolved to approach Khaps and farmers to brief them about the three new farm laws and to get their feedback and concerns.

The directive given by BKU chief Naresh Tikait in the Sisauli meeting is likely to discomfit the BJP which has been facing a tough time in the region due to the ongoing farmers’ movement.

Chaudhary Digamber Singh, state president of BKU’s youth wing told HT that BKU chief Naresh Tikait had advised people to not send ‘ chitthi’( invitations)to BJP leaders for any programme till the impasse was diffused.

BKU’s district president in Muzaffarnagar Dheeraj Latiyan also confirmed this and explained, “He said this to protect BJP leaders from possible harassment and misbehavior by people in the wake of the ongoing farmers’ movement”. The panchayat in Sisauli went on for over four hours in which different aspects of the movement and issue of no increase in sugarcane rate were discussed.

Meanwhile, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha’s ‘ Kisan Mahapanchayat’ in Bilari town of district Moradabad directed farmers to receive opinion of candidates about the farm bills in writing when they visit villages to appeal for votes in forthcoming panchayat elections in the state.

A large number of farmers from Moradabad, Sambhal, Amroha and adjoining districts attended the Mahapanchayat which was coordinated by BKU( Asli).

Social activist Megha Patkar, Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni, BzkU( Asli) president Harpal Singh Bilari, Rakesh Bains, Avtar Singh ( Uttarakhand) and other leaders addressed the gathering.

Meanwhile, after the meeting of MPs and MLAs at his residence, union minister Sanjeev Baliyan said that the discussion was about farmers’ movement. He said that it had been decided to approach Khaps and farmers to brief them about farm laws.

“Reservations and doubts of farmers about the laws will be cleared and their feedback will be sent to senior leaders and government. If the laws have any flaws then they would be corrected,” he said, reiterating that the farmers didn’t explain what was wrong in the new laws.

Reacting to this, Digamber Singh said that it was too late for BJP leaders to have dialogue with farmers.