According to a pre-announced programme the farmers’ unit of Socialist Party (India), Socialist Kisan Sabha was able to initiate its bovine parade on the eve and occasion of Republic Day in Unnao and Hardoi districts.
Anil Mishra, President of Socislist Kisan Sabha was detained from his home in Khanpur Peerali village of Unnao district on the morning on 25 January, 2021 and then taken to Aasiwan Police Station where he was kept for the entire day. 19 villagers with two cows started their parade from Miyaganj crossing and headed towards Lucknow, a distance of 50 km, to hand over the cattle to Yogi Adityanath as these stray cattle have become a menace in the village. They could walk for about 7-8 km before they were stopped by Sub Divisional Magistrate Pradeep Verma and Circle Officer R.K. Shukla from Tehsil Hasanganj of Unnao district. The officials promised to get an appointment with the Chief Minister. A letter addressed to CM was given to them seeking an appointment with the CM to hand him over the stray cow so that he could something about the problem.
On 26 January hundreds of villagers had assembled at an enclosure surrounded by Gram Sabhas Lalamau Mawai, Parsa and Baheria of Sandila Tehsil in Hardoi district. This enclosure was built by villagers so that cows would not graze their crops. A big area around the enclosure has already been devoured by the stray cattle here. As soon as the march reached Lalamau Mawai village hundreds of villagers with 21 cattle were stopped by SHO Ashok Kumar. Soon CO Uma Shankar Singh came and promised to register an FIR including the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act sections against BJP office bearer Gyanendra Singh and 6 others who had beaten up the villagers from Lalamau Mawai when they were accompanying the cattle to a cow shelter on 27 December, 2020. The FIR was registered after Dorilal, one of the Dalit victims, went to the police station with the SHO. However, the issue of transferring the cattle to cow shelter still remained unresolved.
The villagers gheraoed the Tehsildar Ambika Chaudhary and SDM Manoj Srivastava and told them that they can’t leave until the last of the about 80 cattle is shifted to cow shelter. Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. J.N. Pandey was also pulled up for lying to the people that he didn’t have funds to transfer the cattle from villages to cow shelters. A journalist Vivek present on the spot refuted the veterinary doctor. Two vehicles were arranged by the officials to transfer the cattle to cow shelter. Finally, the Tehsildar, Dy. Chief Veterinary Officer and SDM were allowed to leave when it was getting dark after they gave in writing that the cattle would be transferred the next day. Anil Mishra from Unnao, Harshwardhan Purandare from Mumbai, Devesh Patel from Delhi, Gyaneshwar Pawar from Parbhani and Jeevan Rathod from Beed, last three from Maharashtra, also joined the intended parade to CM’s residence in Hardoi district. Photos, a video and a newspaper clipping in Hindi are enclosed.
Sandeep Pandey
Vice President, Socialist Party (India)
Ph: 0522 2355978, 8707449208 (Anil Mishra)
Video from the protest:
Newspaper Clipping:
