Mohiuddinpur Ganna Samiti: Farmers protest alleged rigging in election to body

Hundreds of farmers laid siege to the Partapur police station premises on Friday night and continued their protest against the alleged rigging in the election of Mohiuddinpur Ganna Samiti.
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait also reached the panchayat of the farmers on Saturday and backed the protest till officials agreed to accept their demands.
BKU’s district president in Meerut, Anurag Choudhary, and other farmer leaders said that the names of 102 of 160 delegates of Mohiuddinpur Ganna Samiti have been wrongly deleted by the returning officer in order to induct BJP-supported delegates on the direction of minister Somendra Tomar, who is the MLA from Meerut South constituency.
A Ganna Samiti works as a bridge between a sugar mill and farmers of the villages of that particular area where the sugar mill is situated. Meerut district has six Ganna Samitis and they ensure supply of sugarcane to the mills of their respective areas, and in return, mills make a payment of sugarcane to the Samiti which further reimburses it to the farmers. Samitis also distribute fertilisers, insecticides and seeds to farmers provided on government rates.
Farmers in each village elect one or two delegates to the Samiti depending on the size and population of the village.
Choudhary alleged that names of 102 of 160 delegates of the Samiti were wrongly deleted because the minister wants his men to be inducted in the Samiti.
Finding no solution of their demand, hundreds of farmers entered the Partapur police station on Friday evening and raised slogans against Tomar and BJP. They continued their demonstration inside the thana on Saturday and blocked Delhi road for hours.
Addressing the panchayat Rakesh Tikait said, “We will not allow enticement in any public election. This election is ours, it belongs to the village and it belongs to the people and dishonesty will not be tolerated.”
SSP Vipin Tada, SP ( city) Ayush Vikram Singh, addl district magistrate ( Enforcement) Balram Singh and other officials met the protesting farmers and tried to convince them to end the demonstration but they refused.
ADM( E) Balram Singh said that the officials had a meeting with Rakesh Tikait in which the issue was discussed with a delegation of farmers. “We were trying to resolve the issue”, said Singh and added that the returning officer takes the decision about removing the names of delegates and his decision is considered final.