Thousands of protesting farmers gathered at western Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district on Friday for a farmers’ panchayat Mahapanchayat despite the District Magistrate have imposed section 144 in and around protest area. Earlier on Thursday, the permission for panchayat was earlier denied by the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday.

The move comes days after similar gatherings have been reported in other parts of UP, including in Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat to protest against the three farm laws.

Shamli DM Jasjit Kaur has issued directions that Section 144 of the CrPC — prohibiting any public gathering of four or more than four persons be implemented strictly in the district from February 4 till April 3.

The Shamli district administration has denied permission for the fifth mahapanchayat in west UP at Bhainswal village on Friday, citing unruly behaviour by farmers at the tractor rally in Delhi on Republic Day and the violation of Covid guidelines by protesters. Farmers, however, arrived for mahapanchayat in Shamli district with loud cheers of Inquilab Zindabad.

Also Read: Taapsee Pannu gives befitting reply to Kangana Ranaut, says it’s in her DNA to be toxic

In Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, several mahapanchayats were held over the last few weeks in support of the farmers’ protest against the Centre’s three farm laws. Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary had said his party will organise a series of farmer panchayats in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, from Friday over their protest.

Also Read: Right thing should be done: Salman Khan on farmers’ protest

In a jibe at the Uttar Pradesh administration for invoking Section 144, RLD vice president Jayant Chaudhary tweeted that the section 144 reasons why he will go to Shamli tomorrow.

Sunil Rohta, the RLD’s state spokesman told The Indian Express that the police are free to open fire on the farmers or put in jail but the farmers are not going to call off our pre-decided programme.

A mahapanchayt has been called in Charkhi Dadri in Haryana on February 7. Both RakeshTikait of Bharatiya Kisan Union and Gurnam Singh Chadhuni will likely to attend. This is the second mahapanchayat after Kandela in Jind.

Also Read: Trinamool Congress grants permission to BJP’s rath yatra, accuses party of indulging in malicious propaganda

This week, international figures like pop star Rihanna, climate activist Greta Thunberg and Meena Harris drew the world’s attention to the protests with their tweets.

The post Thousands attend farmers’ mahapanchayat at Shamli despite Section 144 in district appeared first on APN News.