Congress firm on 'kisan panchayat' in UP on July 9

Although kept on tenterhook by Mayawati regarding permission, the Congress remains firm on organising its kisan mahapanchayat in Uttar Pradesh on July 9, which is to be attended by party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi.

Originally, the party had planned to organise the event at Bhatta Parsaul village in Gautam Buddha Nagar district in the National Capital Region (NCR). “The state government has refused the permission to hold our mahapanchayat at the venue,” UP Congress Committee (UPCC) President Rita Bahuguna Joshi informed. She said the state government had suggested the party to hold the conclave in Noida city instead.

“Our request to organise the kisan mahapanchayat in nearby villages or even Jewar town has not been accepted. Interestingly, the district magistrate of Aligarh has also refused us the permission to hold the event there,” she lamented.

The party has now petitioned the government to allow it to hold the mahapanchayat in the adjacent Bulandshahr district. “We are determined to hold the event wherever government allows us. Farmers, leaders and representatives of all the sangharsh samitis in UP, besides senior party leaders would attend the mahapanchayat,” she informed.

Bhatta Parsaul was in news during May 2011 for violent clashes between police and farmers over land acquisition. Four, including two cops were killed and several others injured in clashes on May 7. The district magistrate had also sustained bullet wound. Later, Rahul Gandhi had visited the site and sat on dharna, but was detained by state police.

Meanwhile, Joshi claimed, farmers in Bhatta Parsaul village were receiving attachment notices in the case of violence. He added, “While, eight farmers are still in jail, others are leaving home in fear.”