Farmers Movement Archive

13-month movement is training for farmers: Tikait

MEERUT Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait described the 13- month movement against the contentious farm laws as training for the farmers, which could be utilised by them in future. “The movement, which continued because of the support of people and farmers, has ended. But the battle for seeking rights of farmers will continue. The issues of MSP, increase in sugarcane price, payment of sugarcane dues and high electricity tariff will be raised for the benefit of farmers,” he said while addressing a mahapanchayat in Kairana on Sunday. Tikait said: “There was neither defeat nor victory in the movement. We accepted what farm leaders decided. The government has time till the announcement of model code of conduct before Assembly elections and they should execute proposals given to farmers.” “Nobody can compel people to vote in favour of a party or government,” he emphasized. The BKU leader cautioned people not to be swayed away by the government’s attempt to shift their attention to the alleged issue of exodus from Kairana town of Shamli district during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.Tikait denied that there was an issue of “palayan” (exodus), saying that people go to other towns in search of jobs and business and this couldn’t be categorised as exodus. “The government should provide people better jobs and business opportunities to stop them from going away,” he added. Tikait also suggested that the government should include those people in the proposed committee on MSP who genuinely think about farmers and not professors who are “associated with colleges of capitalists.”

Hindustan Times

14-12-2021

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