Alleging betrayal by the Centre, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday announced a country-wide observance of "Betrayal Day" on Monday over farm issues .
The national spokesperson of the influential north Indian farmers' union claimed the over-a-year-long protest at Delhi's borders was withdrawn on the basis of a letter of promises by the government on December 9 but those remain unfulfilled.
"A nation-wide 'Betrayal Day' will be observed on January 31 because of government's betrayal to farmers. The movement was suspended on the basis of a letter given by the government on December 9 but those promises have not been fulfilled,” Mr. Tikait, whose BKU is a part of the SKM, said in a tweet in Hindi.
The protest on Delhi's borders had started under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a farmers' collective, in November 2020 over the main demands of withdrawal of three contentious farm laws that were introduced by the BJP-led Centre.
The farmers, who occupied key border points of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur for over a year, also demanded a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) of crops.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2021 announced that the contentious farm laws would be rolled back , leading to the protestors eventually vacating Delhi borders in December.
