‘We Are Prepared Till 2024’: BKU Leader Amid Farmers Tractor Rally

The Quint reached out to farmer’s union leader Rakesh Tikait, who said the farmers are prepared for the long term.

Farmer union leader Rakesh Tikait.

Photo Courtesy: The Quint

Amid the tractor rallies held by the farmers protesting against the three contentious farm laws on Thursday, 7 January, at Delhi borders, The Quint reached out to farmer’s union leader Rakesh Tikait.

He said, “This tractor rally is the rehearsal for our tractor parade of 26 January.”

On being asked about the plan if the matter does not get resolved by 26 January, Tikait said:

“We have made plans till May 2024… We are prepared till then. We are ready to hold our ground till 2024. It will take a year or two, but the government will relent before 2024.”

Speaking about the several rounds of talks between the farmer unions and the central government, Tikait told The Quint, “These meetings are like listing a court case, without registering it.”

He added, “There is no agreement with the government. They are not agreeing to our demands. We will have to be more strict.”

Tikait also expressed that the “farmers are prepared to protest for another year or so.”

Farmers Hold Tractor Rally Ahead of Republic Day

Farmers protesting against the three farm ordinances held tractor rallies on Thursday, 7 January, at four borders of Delhi, including the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways, ANI reported.

According to PTI, amid huge deployment of Delhi and Haryana Police personnel, the rally started around 11 am and moved towards the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway.

It began from Singhu to Tikri Border, Tikri to Kundli, Ghazipur to Palwal and Rewasan to Palwal. Joginder Singh Ugrahan, the Chief of Bharati Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) said that the march saw over 3,500 tractors and trolleys, according to The Hindu.

Farmers have been protesting for the revocation of three farm laws for over 40 days, continuing their agitation even amid harsh weather. After the seventh round of talks with the government, attendee Sarwan Singh Pandher of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee said that Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar “clearly said that the laws will not be repealed. He even told us to approach the Supreme Court for repeal of the laws,” NDTV quoted.

(With inputs from NDTV and The Hindu)