No more ‘mahapanchayats’ in Haryana and Punjab, says farmer leader Charuni

Chandigarh, February 19

With the strength of farmers thinning at Singhu and Tikri borders, Gurnam Singh Charuni, the leading farmer leader from the state, on Friday announced that there would be no more ‘mahapanchayats’ in Haryana and Punjab.

Charuni said farmers from the two states would rather be asked to assign duties among them to reach Singhu and Tikri borders so that farmers attended dharna there turn wise.

“There is no use of holding mahapanchayats in Haryana and Punjab as the basic purpose of these events is to make farmers aware of the farm laws and farmers here are already aware. We will hold mahapanchayats in other states wherever warranted,” Charuni said talking to The Tribune today.

He added that farmers from Haryana and Punjab would reach Singhu and Tikri border only on turn basis since harvesting of Rabi crop is round the corners and the farmers will be busy in that.

Asked whether the ‘mahapanchayats’ in the state would be stopped forthwith or those already announced will be held as per schedule, Charuni said if any event has already been announced, the organisers could go ahead with that, but there would be no more such rallies.

Rattan Mann, state president of the BKU headed by Tikait brothers, however, said that the farmers’ bodies were getting huge response in these ‘mahapanchayats’ and there was no question of discontinuing these events.

“BKU leader Rakesh Tikait is to address a mahapanchayat at Kharkhoda in Sonipat on February 22 while another such event has been announced today at Yamunanagar for February 28 where Gaurav Tikait, president of the youth wing of the BKU and son of Rakesh Tikait’s elder brother Naresh Tikait, is to be the chief guest,” said Mann.

He said the ‘mahapanchayats’ have proved to be a boon for providing a new lease of life to the farmers’ agitation after a lull after January 26 tractor parade and hence there was no question of discontinuing them.

Farmers in Jat heartland of Haryana had started holding ‘mahapanchayats’ after Tikait had to shed tears at Ghazipur border in the aftermath of January 26 tractor parade.

So far, ‘mahapanchayats’ have been orgainsed at Kandela in Jind, Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar, Indri in Karnal, Sampla in Rohtak and Kharakpunia village of Hisar districts.

Meanwhile, Charuni has asked farmers to “gherao” Delhi Police personnel if they come to their villages to make an arrest and not let them leave till the district administration assures that they will not be allowed again into their villages.

In a video message, Charuni said if Delhi Police personnel conduct raids and come to nab anyone, they should be gheraoed, made to sit there and the entire village and neighbourhood should be informed.

“They should not be left till the district administration does not assure that the Delhi Police won’t enter your villages, your districts,” he said.