Farmers Movement Archive

Aiming to bring 40 lakh tractors to farmers’ agitation: Tikait

Jhajjar/Sonepat, February 12Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday said their next target was to bring 40 lakh tractors to the ongoing agitation and organise ‘kisan panchayats’ across the nation to mobilise people in support of their demand for the repeal of the three agricultural laws.The farmer leader called upon the protesters to be ready for a ‘foot march’.Tikait was addressing a gathering during a ‘sarva jatiya kisan majdoor panchayat’ organised by Dalal Khap-84 at the Bahadurgarh-Tikri border.“More kisan mahapanchayats will be organised across the nation to garner support. Farmers will march towards Delhi, if needed,” said Tikait, while holding the government responsible for the Republic Day violence.He called upon the farmers to write “Kisan Karanti Yatra January 26, 2021” on their tractor-trailers to spread the message that they would not go back till their demand was accepted.The BKU leader said the new farm laws would lead to the dismantling of the MSP system and exploitation of farmers from whom big companies would procure produce at cheaper rates and then store in big godowns.Without naming anyone, Tikait said attempts had been made to divide the farmers’ stir. “The agitation is pan-India and not limited to Punjab, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh, as is being projected by some,” said the BKU leader.He said farmer leaders would tour various parts of the country and he would also visit Gujarat soon.Tikait alleged that Gujarat farmers were being told not to lend support to the agitation. “We will soon hold meetings in Gujarat and other states,” he added.The panchayat was attended by a large number of people. Farmer leaders, including Balbir Singh Rajewal, Gurnam Singh Charuni, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Dr Darshan Pal, Jagjit Singh Dalewal, Harmeet Qadian and Yudhvir Singh, also attended the mahapanchayat.“So far, 228 protesters have sacrificed their lives during the stir. It is shameful that the government is admitting on the floor of Parliament that it has no plans to extend support to the kin of such ‘martyrs’, said farmer leaders.Charuni said the protesters were ready for a long battle as they were fighting for justified demands. He demanded that there should be the guarantee of procuring the produce at the MSP while provision for punishment should be made if the produce was procured less than the MSP.Charuni said they were working on identifying anti-social elements, who were making efforts to join the agitation in order to spoil it.

The Tribune

2021-02-13