Farm agitation, sugarcane dues discussed at BKU’s mahila panchayat in Muzaffarnagar
MEERUT: Women activists associated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) discussed issues related to farmers and their role in agitations during the daylong mahila (women) panchayat held in Sisauli (Muzaffarnagar) on Thursday. The women leaders vowed to actively support farm agitations in the future as well.
During the panchayat, BKU leaders declared hari chunari (green stole) -- which was worn by several activists at the event -- as the symbol of the union’s women activists.
Besides women activists from several districts, the mahila panchayat was attended by senior BKU leaders Naresh Tikait and his wife Manu, and Rakesh Tikait and his Sunita. Other leaders who participated in the event include -- BKU women’s wing state president Ketki Singh and women wing’s west U.P. president Babli Tyagi.
Addressing the gathering, Babli Tyagi spread awareness about issues like foetus killing, drug addiction, and plantation methods, among others. She also raised the issue of pending sugarcane dues while adding that mills should release their payments timely. “We have decided to launch an agitation against pending sugarcane mills. Women should take active participation in it,” said
Tyagi.
She also claimed that khap panchayats -- which hold significant influence in the western part of Uttar Pradesh -- are softening their stance towards women and encouraging them to play a bigger role in social issues.
Meanwhile, BKU’s Ghaziabad president Mamta Choudhary and her Muzaffarnagar counterpart Sonia Saini urged women activists from Uttar Pradesh to strengthen the union’s organisation. They also asked the women to participate in a large number in the forthcoming agitation in Lucknow on November 26.