Farmers have once again started assembling at the Ghaziapur border in large numbers to protest against the contentious farm laws as the number of COVID-19 cases dipped in western Uttar Pradesh.
On Friday, Bhartiya Kisan Union president Naresh Tikait led a tractor rally from Saharanpur via Muzaffarnagar and Meerut to Ghazipur border.
On the completion of seven months of protests, farmers would present memorandums to Governors of different States on Saturday.
Addressing the farmers, Mr. Tikait said that the Central government has become arrogant. “Farmers are on road for seven months but the dumb and deaf government has not responded to their demands. 10% people can’t afford to ignore the demand of 90% people,” he said.
‘Ministers powerless’
Taking the Union Agriculture Minister to task, the BKU president said had he done his job properly, the issue would have been resolved. “In this government, the Ministers have not been given any powers,” he alleged.
“Farmers have once again assembled at the Delhi border. It is time that the government stop making it a matter of ego and listen to the annadata (food providers) of the country,” Mr. Tikait said.
Unlike his younger brother Rakesh who has been talking about teaching the BJP a lesson at the hustings, Mr. Tikait is said to be a follower of the middle path. On Friday, he once again reiterated that farmers were not against the present dispensation.
‘Nothing to lose’
“Accepting the demands of the farmers doesn’t mean that the government would lose something. We want both the farmers and the government to be winners. In fact, it is the farmers who have put this government on the saddle. So the matter of victory and defeat doesn’t arise,” he underlined.
