Farmers organise Mahapanchayat in Ghaziabad

A large number of farmers from western Uttar Pradesh, led by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) state president Rakesh Tikait, organised a 'Mahapanchayat' at the UP Gate here on Wednesday to press for various demands.

Addressing the gathering, Tikait claimed three lakh farmers have committed suicide in the last three years due to crop losses and demanded that government jobs be granted to one member of the bereaved families.

Besides, Tikait also demanded for electricity for irrigation purposes be made free, fertilisers, pesticides and equipments used for growing crops exempted from GST and other taxes.

He claimed that payment of arrears to sugarcane growers have not yet been cleared.

The farmers handed over two memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in support of 16 such demands to officials of the Delhi Police who were present there.

Later, they also took out a march.