Farmers Movement Archive

Naresh Tikait's son says 'will fight till last breath for farmers' honour'

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) vice-president Jayant Chaudhary on Monday described farmers as “Hanuman” and exhorted them to recognise their unlimited strength while Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) youth wing president Gaurav Tikait said the government would not be allowed to ruin farmers and country's agriculture.They were speaking at the Kisan Samman Mahapanchayat in Bijnor district of western Uttar Pradesh. This was the fourth such major gathering of farmers organised in the region in the last four days. The previous three were held in Muzaffarnagar on Friday, Mathura on Saturday and Baraut in Baghpat on Sunday. Like the other congregations, the Bijnor mahapanchayat also drew a huge crowd of farmers.“We would fight until our last breath to keep the farmers’ honour and respect intact,” said Gaurav Tikait and expressed his gratitude to the people of Bijnor and farmers for turning up in large numbers to attend the mahapanchayat.Barring Jayant Chaudhary, who spoke for a few minutes, other political leaders, including those of the Samajwadi Party, the Congress and the RLD, were not allowed to share the stage.Also read: Twitter restores 250 accounts blocked in India for a controversial hashtagWhile BKU chief Naresh Tikait was expected to attend the mahapanchayat, he sent his son Gaurav Tikait instead.Gaurav Tikait called upon farmers to support the movement, rising above caste and community, “because farmers have no caste”.He said, “Over 150 farmers have been martyred during the movement.”For his part, RLD leader Jayant Choudhary also said, “We need to unite and work together to break the ego of this government.”He advised farmers to remain patient during the battle against three contentious farm reform laws.Hitting out at UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, he said, "The state government has not declared the sugarcane price even after two months of the ongoing crushing season in the mills."Meanwhile, banners were put up at two more villages in Amroha district, banning the entry of BJP leaders over the new farm laws. These two new villages are Nareni and Baldana Heera Singh, Chaudhary Chatrapal Singh, pradhan of Nareni village in Amroha, said on Monday. A similar ban had been declared at Kumrala Bahadarpur village in the same district on Sunday.Chatrapal Singh said the police came to his village on Sunday midnight and took the banner away.“We were not against the police, but the government. Then, why are the police removing banners and boards?” asked Chatrapal Singh.Bijendra Singh, a farmer from Nirpura village in Baghpat district, had declared at Sunday’s panchayat in Baraut that residents of his village would not allow BJP leaders to enter the village. He had also demanded that Union minister Sanjeev Baliyan and Baghpat MP Satyapal Singh should resign in support of farmers.Meanwhile, support for the farmers' movement continued with villagers heading for the Ghazipur border in groups, carrying ration, vegetables, milk, curd and other commodities.

Hindustan Times

01-02-2021

India