‘Kisan Bachao’ mahapanchayat today to protest police excesses, admin says mill owners responsible for any untoward incident

  • | Monday | 11th February, 2019

Farmers have alleged the police lathicharged and used water cannons on them when they were protesting over pending sugarcane dues. Bijnor: The ‘Kisan Bachao’ mahapanchayat called by farmer protesting against police excesses will be held on Tuesday. They had assured us that sugarcane dues be cleared by Feb 11 and case against farmers will be withdrawn. Their crime was that they were demanding their sugarcane dues of previous year. We have given stern warning to them that they would be held responsible for any untoward incident during farmer agitation.

Bijnor: The ‘Kisan Bachao’ mahapanchayat called by farmer protesting against police excesses will be held on Tuesday. Farmers have alleged the police lathicharged and used water cannons on them when they were protesting over pending sugarcane dues. The district sugarcane department has issued notices to the mills over pending dues and said that it any untoward incident happens at the mahapanchayat, the mills will be held responsible.The face-off continued with farmers gearing up to hold mahapanchayat at Rashidpur Gari village on the outskirts of the village. The demand includes action against the police officials involved in lathicharge on farmers on February 4 who had come to the collectorate to mount pressure for clearing their dues. The police also registered cases against the farmers under section seven of the Criminal Law Amendment Act and some other relevant sections.Addressing a press conference, national convenor of Azad Kisan Union, Rajendra Singh said, “Administration had committed atrocities on the farmers. Their crime was that they were demanding their sugarcane dues of previous year. We are doing our agitation peacefully but police suddenly started beating us. They forced the farmers to run for a kilometre and thrashed them. No farmer was on rampage during the agitation but police slapped cases under section seven of Criminal Law Amendment Act on agitators, which is normally imposed on dreaded criminals. Farmers are ready now to register their protest against this cruelty by holding mahapanchayat.”“Administration and police betrayed the farmers by making false assurance to us. They had assured us that sugarcane dues be cleared by Feb 11 and case against farmers will be withdrawn. Neither case has been withdrawn, nor pending sugarcane dues was cleared given to the farmers,” Singh added.Thousands of farmers are expected to take part in the mahapanchayat with around 20 farmer outfits likely to share the stage, he noted.Accusing the police of trying to crush farmers' voices, Singh alleged that officials raided their homes on Sunday and Monday.Two sugar mills of wave group have so far not paid dues worth Rs 62 crores of the previous year, which has led to 25 protests by farmers.On being asked about the matter, district cane officer, Yashpal Singh, said, “We have served notices to the wave group for not paying dues the farmers. We have given stern warning to them that they would be held responsible for any untoward incident during farmer agitation. There are nine mills in the district. Out which seven have done the dues of previous year and they have also started making payment of current crushing year. Only Bijnor and Chandpur mills have not given previous dues so far.”According to sources, the group was not ready to operate the mills and have not paid the dues. It is believed the group wants to shut these units.

If You Like This Story, Support NYOOOZ

NYOOOZ SUPPORTER

NYOOOZ FRIEND

Your support to NYOOOZ will help us to continue create and publish news for and from smaller cities, which also need equal voice as much as citizens living in bigger cities have through mainstream media organizations.


Stay updated with all the Meerut Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.

Related Articles