India / Opposition not giving enough support to farmers: Rakesh Tikait

New Delhi: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday suggested that opposition leaders were not giving more support to the farmers’ protest as they feared being targeted by the Narendra Modi government.

Addressing a farmers ‘mahapanchayat’ at Pipar in Rajasthan's Jodhpur, the Bharatiya Kisan Union leader called the BJP-led government at the Centre a ”two-person” regime that does not listen to anybody.

He also sought more support from the youth and said the agitation against the three new farm laws would go on till November “for now”.

Tikait claimed the opposition was in a poor state and not speaking on the farmers’ issue.

“Their old deeds are coming in their way and they are scared, in case they get entangled in any issue or investigation,” he charged.

Targetting the Centre, the farmer leader said,"If there were a government, dialogue would have been possible. But there is a two-person government in the country. He said this regime did not seek anyone's opinion.

He charged that this was no government but a “company” that had to be "chased away".

Tikait said the farmers’ agitation would be a long fight and the youth must be ready to take it to its culmination.

He said the youth shout, “You keep fighting, we are with you”.

“Ultimately, they will have to come forward and shoulder this movement. For this, barricades would have to be broken,” he said. He added that Rajasthan “does not know how to break barricades”.

He termed the agitation a fight to save land.

“We will lose our land in the next 20-30 years and this would happen with every farmer of the country. We can save our land only by fighting the government,” he claimed. He said a farmer loved his land more than his son.

He asked the gathering to sacrifice all comforts and support the agitation.

“Big companies are coming. They are known for hoarding and control markets. Businessmen will bargain over the hunger of the farmer,” Tikait charged.

The new agri-marketing laws are meant to make it easier for farmers to sell their crops to private companies. But the unions say they will lead to the weakening of the minimum support price (MSP) system.

Tikait claimed if there is no law on the MSP, crops will be sold at “half price”

He said “for now” the agitation will continue till November. “Since we have reached this far, there is no question of taking steps back.”