Farmers Movement Archive

Political parties using farmers’ protest to hold rallies, says BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

Ghaziabad: The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Saturday said at UP-Gate that none of the political parties have the “courage” to take out rallies on their own and have to invoke the farmers’ protest for holding meetings. Tikait has been holding different rallies and panchayats in different states around the national Capital. He was at UP Gate addressing farmers on the future course of agitation.“They will have to invoke the name of farmers. Paap kiya hai sab ne (all have committed sin). They will have hold their meetings (rallies) on the name of farmers. Parties forming governments will have to become the face of farmers and have to work for the cause of farmers. They will have to include farmers in their manifestoes. Otherwise, we will not sit quite as farmers have become aware. We will go across the country,” Tikait said Off late, many political parties have held rallies and others have proposed their rallies, particularly in UP ahead of upcoming panchayat elections in the state. Tikait so far has conducted various rallies to garner support in states like Haryana, Rajasthan and UP. The BKU has also released his schedule of rallies for the month of March. The schedule includes his rallies in states like UP, Rajasthan, Haryana, Karnataka, Telengana, Madhya Pradesh and even Udham Singh district in Uttarakhand from February 28 to March 22. The list, however, does not include West Bengal and Assam. He had said that farmers will go to poll-bound states of West Bengal and Assam as farmers there are also not getting the proper price of their crop. The Election Commission Friday evening announced the schedule of election dates for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry. The poll bound West Bengal is scheduled to hold elections in eight phases starting March 27 to April 29. “Some of our people will be going to West Bengal on March 15-16 and hold some conferences. Thereafter, we will also go. Its not like we will not go West Bengal and Assam. We will go there as farmers in those states are not getting proper price. I will also remain present at UP Gate and the agitation will go on as usual. There will be no shortage of gathering here. People take this agitation forward. Our agitation will continue till 2024,” Tikait said. “If the government doesn’t talk to us, we have plans to go to different states across the country and meet farmers. I say that the agitations will be taken to other states in order to enforce government policies. Our point is to raise issues of farmers and not to get involved in any politics during elections, but farmers’ issues are our priority,” Tikait added. He also said that haystack chopping machines will also be installed at various borders and depending on the direction of air and thereafter particles of haystack will go to Delhi. “Our call to Parliament will be taken up by our core-committee at Singhu Border,” he added further. The farmers are camping at the UP-Gate since November 28, 2020 and demanding repeal of three farm laws and a new law on minimum support price. The last talks between the farmers’ unions and the government were held on January 22.

Hindustan Times

27-02-2021

Noida