Protests Erupt in Western UP as 'Bharat Bandh' Gains Momentum

District president of BKU Sonu Chaudhary said, The sugarcane weighing and procurement centres in the district remained closed today. BKU district president Rajesh Saxena said, The call for bandh was given by the farmer leaders but we did not get sufficient support from traders in the city area.

Protests were held in parts of western Uttar Pradesh on Friday to mark the 'Bharat Bandh' call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha.

''We are holding the protest for the demands, including implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, loan waiver etc,'' Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait told reporters.

On Being asked if he has any plans to go to Delhi, Tikait said, ''A meeting is scheduled in Sisauli (Muzaffaranagar) on Saturday, where planning for the future course of action will be made.'' Tikait participated in the protest held at the Bagovali crossing on the Delhi-Dehradun National Highway. BKU supporters staged protests at ten places in the district. In Bijnor, BKU members disrupted work at some sugarcane weighing centres. District president of BKU Sonu Chaudhary said, ''The sugarcane weighing and procurement centres in the district remained closed today. Traders also closed their shops in support of the bandh call.'' In Baghpat, a protest was held by BKU members. BKU district president Pratap Singh Gurjar said, ''The symbolic protest in support of the bandh was called at Vandana Chowk. Farmers supported the call and they did not go to the sugarcane procurement centres.'' The bandh had almost no impact in the Shahajahanpur district. Some BKU members staged a protest briefly at a toll booth on the Khutar-Puranpur Road. Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Meena said, ''No traffic congestion was caused because of the protest. The law and order situation in the district is under control.'' Similar response to the bandh call was also observed in Budaun. BKU district president Rajesh Saxena said, ''The call for bandh was given by the farmer leaders but we did not get sufficient support from traders in the city area. People in rural pockets, on other hand, supported the bandh.'' In Meerut, the bandh had little to no impact in the city area. Many farmer bodies, including BKU (Rajewal), BKU (Dakunda), BKU (Lakhowal), BKU (Qadian) and BKU participated in the bandh.