Cane dues, other issues: BKU starts indefinite dharna in Shamli
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait also arrived at the dharna site and accused the state government of scaring farmers.Tikait claimed that more than ₹560 crore was due on sugar mills of the district and the government was misleading people by presenting fake data
MEERUT The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) started an indefinite dharna at the collectorate in Shamli on Monday, demanding payment of sugarcane dues and redressal of grievances related to land acquisition and electricity.
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait also arrived at the dharna site and accused the state government of scaring farmers. No officials reached the dharna spot till late in the day and Tikait warned that the issue would not be solved without dialogue.
Tikait claimed that more than ₹560 crore was due on sugar mills of the district and the government was misleading people by presenting fake data. He said that the government promised free electricity to farmers during its election campaign but now it was installing meters at their tube-wells and houses. He asked how the government could give free electricity after installing meters and accused it of exploiting farmers by increasing their tube-well load from 10 horsepower to 23 horsepower.
He said that dharna at Shamli collectorate would continue and appealed to farmers to strengthen the union in villages.
Tikait also asserted that farmers would prefer to go to jail instead of seeking bail from the court in Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
Farmers recalled how Rakesh Tikait’s father Mahendra Singh Tikait started his first movement from the power station of Karmukheri village in Shamli and thereafter led many big farmer movements.
Rakesh Tikait felicitated farmer Rajendra Tikri and Bijendra Rathi who participated in Karmukheri movement in 1986 along with his father Mahendra Singh Tikait and called upon farmers to be united.