UP farmer destroys crop in support of agitation

In a shocking incident, a farmer in Bijnor district destroyed his standing wheat crop on his six-bigha farmland to mark his protest against the new farm laws.

A video clip showing Sohit Ahlawat, 27, riding a tractor over his wheat crop at Kulchana village in Chandpur tehsil went viral on messenger apps.

The incident took place on Saturday.

Two days ago, during a Kisan Mahapanchayat, the Bharatiya Kisan Union leader, Rakesh Tikait, had urged farmers to give importance to the agitation and, if need be, destroy their crops.

On Saturday evening, Tikait said Ahlawat's video had pained him but more farmers would do the same "if the government does not listen to us".

"The government has forced us into a situation where farmers are destroying crops, which is not a good sight. I was personally pained to see the video, but this is not what I meant when I asked farmers to be ready to sacrifice one season's crops. 'Is tarah nuksan ka matlab nahin banta hai' (one shouldn't incur losses like this)," Tikait said at Uttar Pradesh Gate.

Ahlawat, whose father Sanjeev Kumar owns over 40 bigha farmland, is heard saying in the video, "You can see my standing wheat crop. I am destroying it in front of everyone in support of the ongoing farmers' protest. I do not want these farm laws to be imposed upon us."

State president of BKU's youth wing Digambar Singh alleged, "The cops have started harassing the farmer who destroyed his standing wheat crop. But farmers will not bend before the government and its police."

The local police refuted Singh's allegations, saying they only went to the farmland to "check the site".

Bijnor Superintendent of Police Dharamveer Singh said that there is no pressure on the farmers in the district.

Chandpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate P.K. Maurya said, "We had sent revenue department officials to check and talk to the farmer's family. They said that it was a symbolic protest against the farm laws. We are on alert and trying to talk to everyone."