Cong unlikely to get nod to hold kisan panchayat

According to sources here, local intelligence officials have told the government that any meeting of the farmers at Bhatta-Parsaul or nearby areas could pose a serious law and order problem. Therefore, permission for the “kisan panchayat” should not be given.

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address the farmers at the “kisan panchayat” slated to be held in the third or fourth week of June. Home Department officials here, however, remained tight-lipped over the issue saying that it was up to the Noida authorities to decide whether to give the permission or not after assessing the situation.

“The government will definitely not like to give the Congress an opportunity to reap any political benefit from the contentious issue especially after the recent kisan panchayat in which the chief minister announced a new land acquisition policy,” officials said.

The administration had  imposed Section 144 on Noida in view of Baba Ramdev’s attempt to hold fast there after being evicted from Ramlila ground in Delhi earlier this week.