Priyanka Gandhi hails Kisan Mahapanchayat in UP; Says 'No power can beat farmers' voice'

Backing the Kisan Mahapanchayat organised by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the whole country is supporting farmers in their fight to repeal three central farm laws. "Farmers are the voice and pride of this country.f No power can beat the farmers' voice or their rights. The whole country is supporting the farmers in their fight to save agriculture and their hard work #Muzaffarnagar_Kisan_Mahapanchayat[sic]," she tweeted in Hindi.

As the poll battle for Uttar Pradesh intensifies, thousands of farmers assembled in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday to attend the Kisan Mahapanchayat.  In a show of strength, farmers joined in droves demanding the Centre to repeal the contentious farm laws.  Asserting that the Centre was trying to 'mislead people' by claiming the only a section of farmers opposed the laws, farmers gathered in thousands to lend support to Sanyukt Kisan Morcha's 'Mission UP'. The Kisan Mahapanchayat was attended by top SKM leaders - Yogendra Yadav, Darshan Pal, Rakesh and Naresh Tikait to strategise the future of the agitation across the country.

Kisan Sansad in Delhi

Just 150 metres away from Parliament at Jantar Mantar, 200 farmers held demonstrations against the agriculture laws, demanding a total repeal of the legislation. As per an agreement between the farmers and the Delhi police, 200 protestors from Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and 6 from Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee protested peacefully from 11 AM to 5 PM daily and will last from July 22 to August 13 - throughout the Parliament Session.  The farmers also passed a 'no-confidence motion against the government and seven resolutions annulling the Farm Laws.

Talks between Centre and farmers stalled after 13 rounds, before the January 26 violence at Red Fort. Farmers now aim to intensify protests across UP where polls will be held in February 2022. Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

(With inputs from agency)