Express News Service
LUCKNOW: The Shamli district administration has denied permission to farmers’ proposed Mahapanchayat at Bhainswal village on Friday.
The organisers, including the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Samajwadi Party (SP), crossed swords with authorities on Thursday saying they would go ahead with the congregation even without permission.
Shamli Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sandeep Kumar gave a number of reasons to deny permission for the mahapanchayat which had to feature RLD vice-president Jayant Chaudhury as the chief guest. The RLD district chief Yogendra Chairman claimed that the party would go ahead with its plan irrespective of the district administration’s nod. The RLD leader claimed that the SDM had cancelled the permission on the directives from Lucknow.
However, SDM Sandeep Kumar said the permission was denied as there were reports of possible clashes, vandalism, stone pelting, and violence during the mahapanchayat which was expected to draw a large number of people.
Meanwhile, Shamli District Magistrate Jasjeet Kaur clamped Section 144 of CrPC in the district in the wake of festivals. The prohibitory orders will remain in force in the district till April 3.
On Wednesday, thousands of farmers from different villages of Bulandshahr district of western UP began their two-day 100-km march towards the Ghazipur border to support the protesting farmers. Many of them were carrying water collected from 36 communities of 36 villages in steel urns.
Water supply to the Ghazipur border has been disrupted, causing problems to the farmers staging a dharna there in protest against the three newly-enacted farm laws.
“If the government stops water supply to protesting farmers, we will take it from our villages,” said the marching farmers.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait) for National Capital Region, is leading the march. The marching farmers stayed at Lalpur village in the Sikandrabad area of the district for the night stay and resumed their march on Thursday morning.