Farmers Movement Archive

‘Going to Nandigram…’: BKU’s Rakesh Tikait says ‘BJP has robbed the country’

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Saturday said in Kolkata that farmers’ leaders protesting against the three contentious farm laws would go to the assembly constituency of Nandigram to urge people to not vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whose government at the Centre brought the laws in September last year.Tikait was speaking to the media after a ‘mahapanchayat’ against the three laws in the capital city of West Bengal, where assembly elections will begin later this month. Nandigram is the assembly constituency in the eastern state from where chief minister Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), who is seeking a third term, will contest.“We’re going to Nandigram to tell people that crops are not being purchased at MSP (Minimum Support Price). We’ll appeal to them to not vote for BJP as they’ve robbed the entire country,” Tikait, who has been credited with single-handedly reviving the movement after violence during farmers’ rally in Delhi on January 26, said, as per news agency ANI.West Bengal: Sanyukt Kisan Morcha held a 'mahapanchayat' in Kolkata against 3 farm laws"We're going to Nandigram to tell people that crops are not being purchased at MSP. We'll appeal to them not to vote for BJP as they've robbed entire country," said BKU leader Rakesh Tikait pic.twitter.com/LYisIJbNv7The BJP’s candidate from Nandigram is former TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari, once a close aide of Banerjee.With talks stuck between the central government and farmers’ unions in the wake of Jan. 26 violence, and the Centre hardening its stand of non-repeal of legislations, farmers’ leaders have decided to go to the four poll-bound states, including West Bengal, and the Union territory of Puducherry, which, too, will witness assembly elections. Leaders say that they would appeal to voters to not vote for the BJP and thus ensure its defeat; this, they claim, is the only way to pressurise the Centre to revoke the three ‘reforms.’Also Read | Permanent shelters come up at Delhi border as farm leaders warn they won’t budgeAssam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are the other three states where elections will take place. Of these, the BJP has an incumbent government in Assam, and is a minor player in the other two. However, in Bengal, it is the main opposition party and has been tipped to give a close fight to the TMC.Assembly polls will take place from March 27-April 29, while counting of votes and declaration of results is scheduled for May 2.

Hindustan Times

13-03-2021

Kolkata