Bharatiya Kisan Union launches protests and mahapunchayat across districts over agricultural pricing and governance demands

BULANDSHAHR — The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait) launched widespread protests and a mahapunchayat at district headquarters, including Lucknow and Bulandshahr, under a nationwide call by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha.

Operating under the national leadership of BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, the agitating farmers pressed a series of demands centered on agricultural pricing, employment, and electoral administration. Farmers demanded that the sugarcane support price be set at Rs 600 per quintal, alongside a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price and the full implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations (C2+50%).

The demonstrations also broadened to address governance and administrative grievances. According to farmer spokespersons, participants questioned the role of the Election Commission, alleging that crores of voters’ names were omitted from lists during recent processes, while also expressing outrage over unemployment and competitive examination paper leaks.

BKU Tikait District President Arab Singh warned that if sugarcane price demands are left unfulfilled, the union will escalate actions by jamming highways, halting sugar mills, and barring sugarcane department officials from their offices. Arab Singh also condemned local police and administrative actions involving the house arrest and detention of union workers, asserting that suppressive policies will fail to weaken the movement.

If the government fails to meet their core demands, farmers announced they will launch a nationwide march to Delhi on November 26.