Farmers raise slogans during a Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat organised under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha in Lucknow on Saturday.

Addressing the meeting, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait asked the gathering to be ready for a “bigger battle” than the one they had fought against the Narendra Modi government two years ago for repeal of the three farm laws.

“It is the first government which makes false promises on paper. They had promised us in writing that they would resolve all our issues but didn’t do anything,” Tikait said. On November 26, 2020, farmers had started gathering on Delhi’s borders to demand a repeal of three farm laws brought during the pandemic and a legally guaranteed minimum support price for their crops.

After a year-long sit-in, the government gave in and repealed the three laws. “Our mahapanchayat is not to remember our victory, it is to remind the government of our protest and warn them to listen to us and stop harassing the farmers,” he said.