Farmers Movement Archive

Protesters can build permanent structures at borders, says Naresh Tikait

Taking a stand contrary to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president on Wednesday said farmer protesters at the Delhi border sites could build permanent structures.“Summer is approaching, and houses are needed to protect farmers from heat when temperature peak to about 45 degrees Celsius. When our agitation ends, we will remove the structures,” said Naresh Tikait, the BKU president, while addressing a mahapanchayat on UP Gate.The protesters had been building shelters using bamboo, tin, plywood and even bricks at the Tikri and Singhu borders over the last two weeks to beat the summer heat and rain.On Sunday, the SKM had called on its followers not to build the structures and said alternatives would be offered. On Saturday, Kundli police had registered two FIRs against farmers for constructing brick and mortar houses and digging borewell along the highway at Kundli on the complaint of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).That is not all. Naresh Tikait’s speech also countered what younger brother and BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said Tuesday on blocking the Delhi-Noida border“We have no intention to block the roads. It may have been said but we will talk over this issue. The roads should be open, and we don’t want to trouble commuters. Even the road (Delhi Meerut Expressway) was barricaded by the police and they opened it on their own,” Naresh Tikait said. The traffic movement resumed at the Noida-Delhi Chilla border on the night of January 27 after BKU’s Bhanu faction called off their strike and removed their tents and belongings from the protest site. Over the issue of deadlock in talks with the government, he said that if Satya Pal Malik, the present Governor of Meghalaya, is given a chance for mediation, farmers would welcome the move. Malik on Sunday said that the Centre should accept one of their (farmers’) demands of writing minimum support price (MSP) into law and advised it against using the might of the state against the protesting farmers. Malik was addressing a gathering at Sheelchand Inter College in Aminagar Sarai town of his native district Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh. He also said that he had written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah about the ongoing farmers’ agitation, but it remained unresolved. He also said that he opposed the arrest of farmers and advised the government not to use force against them but ensure that they did not go back empty-handed. “Satyapal Malik ji is a good man, and he is also from a farmers’ family and knows the issues faced by farmers. We have good relations with him, and farmers liked the statements he made. If he is sent to mediate, we hope that issues can be resolved. Earlier we said that we are also ready to speak to Rajnath Singh ji (defence minister) if he initiates talks with us. But the major issue is that the government is having no effect and not listening to farmers,” Tikait added. The talks between the government and the farmers’ unions were held last on January 22 and deadlock has ensued since. The farmers are still stuck on their demand for repeal of three farm laws while the government last proposed staying of implementation of the laws for a period of one and half years. The situation also hit a major roadblock after the incidents of violence in Delhi on the Republic Day during the tractor rally carried out by the farmers. The Delhi police lodged various FIRs against farmers’ leaders including Rakesh Tikait but the farmers maintained that it was handy work of some “outsiders.” The farmers are camping at the UP-Gate since November 28 last year.

Hindustan Times

17-03-2021

Noida