Farmers Movement Archive

'No ghar wapsi till farmers' demands are met': Rakesh Tikait

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said that the protest that they have launched is a people's movement and wpn't fail. He was addressing the attendees of a 'kisan mahapanchayat' in Haryana."There will be no 'ghar wapsi' till farmers' demands are met. This is a people's movement, it will not fail," said Tikait.The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson claimed the campaign against the agriculture laws is going strong. With many "khap" leaders present at the “mahapanchayat”, Tikait lauded their role in strengthening the stir.Tikait is widely credited by the farmer unions and their supporters of bringing the 75-day-old agitation back on track after Republic Day violence. The tractor rally which the farmer leaders took out in Delhi on January 26 was marred by violence when a group of protesters, defying the approved route, marched towards central Delhi and clashed with the police.A few of them even stormed the historic Red Fort and hoisted a religious flag along with the Tricolour from its ramparts - an image which was a loss of face for the farmers' movement.The authorities as well as general public lashed out at farmers for the Red Fort incident. Soon, the police issued orders asking the protesters to disperse and end their stir. At the three border points near Delhi - Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur - the protest began to lose steam.But Tikait vowed to carry on and addressing a gathering at the Ghazipur border, made an emotional announcement that he will "kill himself but won't end the protest", with tears it his eyes. That worked and the farmers got ready to once again take on the government over three farm laws passed in September last year.The protesters then announced a 'Chakka Jam' which was carried out peacefully across the country on February 6. Tikait said on Saturday that the farmer leaders have give the central government 'time' till October 2 to withdraw the legislations.Thousands of farmers have been protesting since November 26, 2020 near Delhi, demanding a rollback of the three laws: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations.However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.

Hindustan Times

07-02-2021

India