Farmers Movement Archive

PM took a step forward, farmers should reciprocate: BKU chief

Muzaffarnagar: In what seems to be a softening of stand towards the Centre, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) national president Naresh Tikait on Sunday said the Prime Minister has taken a step forward and protesting farmers should reciprocate. “I always said the dispute should be solved in a dignified way,” Tikait said, adding that the government should give in writing that the three farm laws would be repealed. Tikait said, “The PM has come forward for farmers. We should do something to solve the dispute, but the government should repeal these laws in a proper manner. Months-long protests cannot end within minutes.” Talking to TOI over phone in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday, Tikait said, “The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has the right to take any decision, but I have advised it to cancel the proposed daily tractor march to Parliament during the upcoming wither session. Many insinuated the protesting farmers by calling them ‘Andolanjeevi’, ‘Khalistani’, ‘Pakistani’, etc, but farmers should maintain a good image. They are not stubborn.” When asked when farmers would go away from the protest sites at Delhi borders, Tikait said, “Only after the government gives in writing that the farm laws would be repealed, the protesters at Delhi borders will decide their next course of action.” Recently, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) had announced that around 500 farmers will participate in peaceful tractor marches to Parliament every day during the winter session scheduled to be held from November 29. After a meeting of SKM concluded at Singhu border on Sunday evening, BKU media in-charge Dharmender Malik told TOI, "SKM will hold another meeting on November 27 in which various decisions, including whether the proposed march to Parliament would be held or not, will be taken.”

The Times of India

2021-11-22

Meerut