‘Farmers can again go to Delhi if govt makes it difficult’
If they make it difficult for us, these tractors and farmers can go to Delhi. This time it will be hal kranti as all sorts of farming equipment will be taken along.
RAKESH TIKAIT, BKU leader
GHAZIABAD: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday said that farmers and their tractors can again go to Delhi if things “get difficult”.
He reiterated the farmers’ plans to hold a rally of 40 lakh tractors across the country, adding that this will be a hal kranti and farmers will proceed to Delhi with all equipment used for farming.
Tikait has been regularly holding rallies in Haryana. At the rally held at Kharak Punia in Hisar, Haryana, on Thursday Tikait yet again restated the farmers’ demand that the government hold talks with them, which have ceased since January 22.
“Our next target is 40 lakh tractors which we will gather from across the country. If they make it difficult for us, these are the same tractors and same farmers who will again go to Delhi. And this time it will be hal kranti and all sorts of equipment used for farming will be taken along,” Tikait told a gathering.
Tikait has been spearheading the farmers’ protest at UP Gate. On Wednesday, he had said that farmers were ready to bear the loss of one crop but will not let the agitation die down.
“The centre should not be under any misconception that farmers will go back to harvest their crops. If they insist, we will burn our crops. They shouldn’t think that the protest will end in two months. We’ll harvest as well as protest,” he reiterated during the Hisar rally on Thursday.
He said that the government should talk to their panchs (committee of farmer unions’ leaders at Singhu border).
“We will continue with rallies and panchayats in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Karnataka and other states. Is there any ban on us? We have been getting support of khaps. If the government makes things difficult then tractors can go to West Bengal as well,” he added.
Tikait had mentioned plans to hold panchayats in poll-bound West Bengal during his rally at
Garhi Sampla in Haryana on February 16 as well.
Assembly elections are likely to be held in the state in the coming few months with political parties holding rallies to garner support.
“You should support and be confident of the 40 people (referring to the committee of farmer unions’ leaders who held talks with the government). You must oil your equipment and fill sufficient fuel in tractors and keep them ready, pointed towards Delhi, once we give a call,” Tikait added.
Farmers at the UP Gate have been camping there since November 28, 2020 demanding rollback of the three farm laws and a new law on minimum support price.
Off late, the gathering has reduced at UP Gate and their leaders are now conducting panchayats and rallies. “The rallies are helping us keep the momentum of the gathering going. At present we have about 2,000-2,500 people who are at the site. Many are now making it look as if the decrease in numbers means the agitation is dying out. To tackle this, we have come up with a team which is now educating farmers about the use of social media platforms,” said Jagtar Singh Bajwa, farmer leader and member of UP Gate farmers’ committee.
He said that once acquainted with social media, the farmers will tackle the criticism on their own by posting their videos and pictures and will spread awareness about the on-ground situation.