Govt's 'efforts' to crush farmers' stir has only strengthened them: RLD

RLD national vice president Jayant Chaudhary on Saturday alleged that the government's "efforts" to crush the farmers' movement has only strengthened their unity.

"The farmers' stir would not be called off unless the three farm laws are repealed," Chaudhary told reporters at Mathura's Bajna town.

He alleged that "after efforts of the government to crush farmers' agitation, unity of farmers has further strengthened."

Later, addressing a Kisan Mahaanchayat at Morki Inter College in Bajna, he called on farmers to use "Vote Ki Chot (their franchise)" to foil the evil design of the state government.

The Yogi Adityanath government should be taught a lesson in the forthcoming panchayat elections, he said.

He called on farmers to participate in ongoing farmers agitation atGazipur and Palwal and condemned the lathicharge by the police on farmers at Gazipur, terming it illegal.

Jayant also announced the start of the programme "Chalo Gaon Ki Or (Move towards villages) from February 12.

At the mahapanchayat, Samajwadi party leader Sanjai Lathar said the BJP-led central government is mistaken if it considers farmer leader Rakesh Tikait alone.

"Farmers of the country are behind Tikait," he said.

"The BJP has in a planned manner defamed the peaceful tractor rally of farmers in Delhi on January 26 by sending its activists in it for violence," the SP leader alleged.

The tears that rolled down the eyes of Tikait are the tears of farmers.The government is living in a fools paradise if it considers that by adopting foul means, the agitation may be foiled, RLD state vice president Kunvar Narendra Singh said.

In the mahapanchayat, a call to farmers to join in the farmers' agitation in Delhi was also given by over one dozen leaders including former minister Tej Pal Singh.