HOW the July 28 rally of the Lok Morcha in Shamli town of Muzaffarnagar district turns out, was keenly awaited by political forces in Uttar Pradesh for a variety of reasons. Firstly, this place falls under western UP, which is considered the weakest area for Samajwadi Party, as Ajit Singh and BSP had proved in the last Lok Sabha polls. Secondly, with the latest development of Ajit Singh teaming up with BJP, it is being propagated that this entire belt would fall into the BJP’s lap in the coming assembly polls. So it was a crucial test for Lok Morcha as to how its fifth rally, in the series of rallies that began in early July, would fare. The earlier rallies were held in Azamgarh, Banda, Bareilly and Jhansi.

The huge turn-out at the Shamli rally and the unrestrained enthusiasm displayed by the people participating in it, clearly showed that Lok Morcha has passed this crucial test with flying colours. The former prime minister V P Singh, who spoke last in the meeting, was unable to restrain his joy and declared that "Shamli Maidan has already given the verdict on who is going to win the coming electoral battle in UP."

As we were approaching Shamli, there was a virtual procession of hundreds of tractors, on which peasants, including Muslim peasants and others, were travelling to the rally site. They were enthusiastically shouting slogans. The entire ground of V V Degree College, the venue of the rally, was filled to the brim and the people were standing on the college buildings and the boundary walls around the ground. Unable to get into the ground, thousands more were listening to the speeches in the streets. And whenever the leaders criticised the BJP for ruining the lives of farmers, the predominantly kisan gathering clapped loudly.

Almost all the district and local leaders, who spoke briefly at the start of the meeting, made requests to Mulayam Singh Yadav to increase the minimum support price for sugarcane by at least 25 rupees when he becomes the chief minister. They said this would then bring it on par with the neighbouring Haryana state. Clearly, the mood was as if the change is only a matter of time. The municipal chairman of Shamli town, Rajeshwar Bansal, who was an independent leader, joined the Samjawadi Party in this rally. And surprising everyone Mulayam, during his speech, announced Bansal as the candidate for Shamli assembly constituency.

The rally, which was held in the immediate aftermath of the brutal murder of Samajwadi MP Smt Phoolan Devi, was dominated by that issue. Samajwadi Party president and Lok Morcha convenor Mulayam Singh Yadav charged that Phoolan Devi was killed because she had become an eyesore for many people who did not want to see the rise of a woman belonging to the most backward sections of society. He said she was a symbol of courage for the most exploited, traumatised backward women of the society.

He criticised the UP chief minister Rajnath Singh for telling absolute lies that Phoolan Devi had not sought security. There was proof that Mirzapur district magistrate had asked that Phoolan Devi must personally bear 25 per cent of the security expenditure on her. Being poor, she was not in a position to do so and hence refused to pay. Mulayam Singh charged that BJP alone is responsible for the murder because if there had been enough security she would have been alive today. "Never in the history of the nation after independence has a parliament member been shot dead in New Delhi even when the session was on. This shows the utter incompetence of the BJP government," said Mulayam.

Referring indirectly to Ajit Singh's tie up with BJP, he said " just putting up Atal Behari Vajpayee's photo along side Charan Singh's will not wash away the sins of ruinous agricultural policies." He gave a call for all Charan Singh followers to join Samajwadi party as it alone can safeguard kisan's interests.

Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh alleged that BJP is trying to kill important Samajwadi leaders one by one, by withdrawing their security.

Many key leaders of the Lok Morcha stressed that the coming electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh would have an important bearing on the efforts to save the nation from ruin by the fascist BJP rule. Former prime minister V P Singh said that he had once again become politically active as the situation warranted that the nation should be saved from the fascist forces.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechuri started his speech saying that Shamli held a special significance for communists as it was the home town of the legendary communist and freedom fighter Major Jaipal Singh. He said the Lok Morcha was not formed just for the sake of UP elections but to save the nation from the clutches of BJP rule. It provides a clear alternative to the ruinous policies of the BJP and the Congress. Yechury highlighted the plight of the farmers, who are committing suicides in many parts of the country due to the impact of these policies. Unemployment has increased manifold as a result of these very policies. He asked the people to choose Lok Morcha, which was formed to fight these ruinous policies, as an alternative in the coming polls. He expressed the confidence that people would definitely do so as the rally turn-out indicated.

CPI general secretary A B Bardhan, in his speech, said that the Lok Morcha is going to end the BJP rule both in UP and at the centre. The BJP, in its 46 months rule, has far outstripped the Congress rule of 46 years, in terms of policies and hence the need to oust it from power, said Bardhan. Under Rajnath Singh rule in UP, the minorities, Dalits and other backward sections are facing innumerable attacks. After assuming power in the state, the Lok Morcha will restore and safeguard secularism in the state, he assured.

RSP general secretary Abani Roy, Forward Bloc leader and West Bengal minister Kalimuddin Shams were among those who spoke in the rally.