India / Ready to protest for 10 yrs, won't let farm laws be implemented: Tikait

Chandigarh: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said the farmers protesting for the last 10 months against the Centre’s three farm laws are ready to agitate for 10 years, but will not allow the black legislations to be implemented.

Addressing a Kisan Mahapanchayat in Panipat, Tikait said it has been 10 months of this agitation, adding the government must listen with open ears that even if we have to agitate for 10 years then we are ready.

Tikait categorically stated that the farmers were ready to intensify their stir if their demands are not met.

Asking the farmers “to keep their tractors ready”, the Bharatiya Kisan Union leader said “these may be required anytime (to move towards) in Delhi”, PTI reported.

Tikait said that if the present regime does not rollback these laws then the future governments will have to take it back.

Asserting those who have to rule in this country will have to repeal these laws, he said: We will not allow these laws to be implemented, we will continue our agitation.”

Lambasting Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Tikait said they would not have brought these black laws had they sensed the mood of these farmers.

He added these farmers will force this government to bow.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union leader also urged the young farmers to make full use of social media to strengthen the ongoing agitation against the three laws.

With the assembly elections polls due in Uttarakhand and Punjab early next year, Tikait said similar meetings like the one at Muzaffarnagar will be held in these states too.

The mahapanchayat came a day ahead of the “Bharat Bandh” call by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of over 40 farm unions spearheading the farmers’ agitation

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha had earlier appealed to the people to join the bandh.

“The SKM appeals to every Indian to join this nationwide movement and make the 'Bharat Bandh' a resounding success. In particular, we appeal to all organisations of workers, traders, transporters, businessmen, students, youth and women and all social movements to extend solidarity with the farmers that day," the Samyukta Kisan Morcha had said recently in a statement.

The farmers mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been since November last year demanding that the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.

The farmers fear the three contentious farm laws would do away with the Minimum Support Price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.

Several rounds of talks between the farmers and the government have failed to break the deadlock.