Farmers Movement Archive

‘They want to follow Taliban’: BKU (Bhanu) chief slams Bharat Bandh

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) national president Bhanu Pratap Singh said on Monday that the 10-hour Bharat Bandh will affect the country’s economy as he launched a sharp attack on another farmer leader Rakesh Tikait. Drawing a comparison with the recent violent takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, Bhanu Pratap alleged that Tikait and others want to follow the footsteps of the Taliban by continuing similar activities back in India. “They (Rakesh Tikait) call themselves ‘Kisan neta' and then announce Bharat Bandh, which affects the economy and farmers. How does it even benefit anyone?” he said while speaking to news agency ANI.“No one should support Bharat Bandh and it should be opposed. I request the government to ban such organisations (farmer unions) which are involved in terrorist activities since January 26. I appeal to all state governments and the Centre,” the BKU (Bhanu) national president also told the news agency.#WATCH | "...They (Rakesh Tikait) call themselves 'kisan neta & then announce Bharat Bandh, which affects economy & farmers. How does it even benefit anyone? They want to follow in footsteps of Taliban by continuing similar activities...": Bhanu Pratap Singh, BKU-BHANU President pic.twitter.com/WQri1UMAH4Bhanu Pratap Singh has been one of the prominent critics of the protests at the borders of Delhi against the Centre’s three farm laws. Previously, as widespread violence erupted during the farmers’ tractor rally on Republic Day (January 26) this year, Singh alleged that the farmer groups protesting at borders of the national capital such as Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri were “Congress brought and Congress sent”.The 10-hour long Bharat Bandh, called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) from 6am to 4pm on Monday, is being observed across India to mark the first anniversary of the three new farm laws getting presidential assent. Traffic jams have been reported in borders in Delhi and surrounding regions, with protesting farmers only allowing emergency vehicles such as ambulances to pass.BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Monday sympathised with the problems that people were facing due to the Bandh but said that farmers have been also been facing problems due to the new farm laws for the past 10 months. He also said that nothing has been sealed amid the ongoing nationwide strike.

Hindustan Times

27-09-2021

India