Braving heavy rains, farmers and Congress workers on Saturday gathered here for the ‘kisan mahapanchayat’, marking the culmination of Rahul Gandhi’s four-day foot march in Uttar Pradesh.
Travelling in buses, trucks and tractor-trolleys, the villagers arrived at the sprawling Nomaish ground here amid tight security. Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, union ministers Sachin Pilot and Jitin Prasad and state unit president Rita Bahuguna Joshi were among those present.
But, heavy rains led to waterlogginng at the venue, also damaging the waterproof tents. However, the crowds soon began to surge as the showers stopped.
“We have come here as we are hopeful that Rahul Gandhi’s leadership will herald a change in Uttar Pradesh,” said a Congress leader from Meerut, who has been camping here since last night. With Congress leaders and workers thronging the town, no hotel accommodation was available in the area.
A muti-tier security ring was in place in and around the venue. On Thursday, Rahul faced a security scare when a young man carrying a licensed revolver was detained while trying to move close to him in Tappal during the ‘padyatra’. Yesterday, he wound up his foot march through the dusty heartlands of rural Uttar Pradesh and returned to Delhi.
Describing the padayatra as an unforgettable experience that had enlightened him of the farmers problems, the Gandhi scion had said, “I have learnt a lot after talking to you. I am young and from you I have gained a world of knowledge on land acquisition issues...I can never forget this in my lifetime and the fact that I am taking back so much from you. You have the same knowledge as those sitting in the Planning Commission and those making the laws...What I have acquired from you here, I could never have sitting in Delhi,” he had said.
The foot march, flagged off from Bhatta on Tuesday, saw the Congress leader spanning over 70 km in hot and sultry weather. “The yatra was a mass awakening call for the farmers...I have already achieved what I set out to. I am more than pleased. I wanted to bring this matter on the national radar and help farmers voice their concerns. I have done that,” he had said.
Interacting with Gandhi during the foot march, the farmers demanded adequate compensation for their land, jobs, enhanced compensation for fertile land and compensation in exchange of tubewells that get acquired along with swathes of land.
Rahul arrived at Aligarh’s exhibition grounds post noon to address a massive farmers’ gathering in a show of political strength against Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati.
Delayed by rains, the MP flew into the district and later reached the local exhibition grounds amid loud cheers from hundreds of farmers. He was flanked by Digvijay Singh and Joshi. The scene was one of frenzy and chaos in Aligarh, as traffic jams dotted the city and incessant rains made life tough for commuters and visitors to the exhibition grounds. The roads remained sealed to offer safe passage to Rahul, here to listen to farmers’ grievances for over three hours as part of his ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ programme.
“This is the first ever time a national party of the stature of the Congress has organized such a huge gathering of farmers,” Joshi told the ‘mahapanchayat’.
