The nine-month-long farmers’ agitation gets a shot in the arm in the Karnal district of Haryana and Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh. The massive show of strength challenging the two BJP-ruled States should have not just Chief Minister worried, but so also the BJP headquarters. While Harayana may not be the top priority as it is not going for Assembly elections, the farmers ‘UP Mission’ had had a great start. The ‘mahapanchayat’ by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), attended by thousands has one agenda– campaign and defeat the Yogi Adityanath government. Leading the charge, Bhartiya Kisan Union chief Rakesh Tikait roared: “People of UP will not tolerate (Home Minister) Amit Shah, (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath. If we have governments like this, there will be riots. This land witnessed the slogan of “Allahu Akbar, Har Har Mahadev” in the past. They talk of dividing, we speak of uniting.”

Political overtones? Will the farmers eventually align with Opposition parties, such as the SP or RLD, or is Tikait going to court them for the 2022 polls? It was said that UP has 8 crore farmer votes and that they must steal the political mandate from the BJP. Having tasted success, the strategy will be worked out next month in Lucknow for more mahapanchayats and reaching out to every single district. While victory is a long way, a rethink by the Centre on the farm laws could be a step to stop the juggernaut.   

Likewise, in Karnal, the farmers have Chief Minister Khattar and team worried, as the show of strength in his constituency does not augur well for the government. The protesting farmers are continuing their indefinite sit-in at the district headquarters, demanding the suspension of the IAS officer, who ordered the security forces to lathicharge them and ‘smash their heads.’ Signs of unease in the ruling party are very much there. Mobile internet services there have been suspended, as the round of talks between district officials and farmers failed on Wednesday last. Despite barricades, the farmers have managed to lay siege at the mini-secretariat. It’s a huge embarrassment for the state government, alright. Is it now on the backfoot? State Home Minister Vij has offered to order an impartial probe into the lathicharge but said “only genuine demands (of farmers protesting in Karnal) can be accepted.” Who decides, what is genuine, is the question.