Muzaffarnagar: Responding to the call of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) on Tuesday held a panchayat near the Muzaffarnagar’s collectorate to protest against the alleged police lathi-charge on students demonstrating at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over NEET examination and education policy.Addressing the gathering, BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said the use of force against students was unjustified and demanded an impartial probe into the incident. He said similar panchayats were being organised in districts across the country as part of a nationwide campaign by SKM.The farmer leaders also submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu via the Muzaffarnagar district magistrate, demanding a high-level impartial probe into the police action and urged the Centre to address student grievances through dialogue rather than coercion.Besides condemning the police action on protesting students, farmer leaders also raised several issues concerning the farming community. They opposed the proposed India-US trade deal, alleging that it would adversely affect Indian farmers by allowing cheaper agricultural imports and hurting domestic agriculture.The union hit out at the govt over the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill, unrevised land circle rates, improper implementation of the Land Acquisition Act, and unkept promises from the 2020–21 farmers’ movement.Speaking about the administration’s order for demolition of Mohammad Ali Jauhar in Rampur, Tikait said, “Universities are built to educate people, not to be demolished. If any university is harmed, we will strongly oppose it. Weakening the education sector will send a very wrong message internationally.”
