NEW DELHI: Calling the farmers of Jind (Haryana) as revolutionaries, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday hailed the decision of carrying out a tractor parade in protest against the Centre’s farm laws on Independence Day.
Addressing media near a protest site in Delhi, Tikait said carrying out a tractor rally is not a ‘bad thing’, and driving tractors with a national flag increases the spirit of nationalism in people.
“Carrying out tractor rally is not a bad thing. People of Jind (Haryana) are revolutionary. They’ve taken the right decision of carrying out the tractor parade on August 15. Don’t know what Samyukt Kisan Morcha decides…It will be a moment of pride to see the tractor parade with national flags mounted on them. It builds a spirit of nationalism.”
Asking the Haryana government to let farmers do the flag hoisting in Jind, on Independence Day, The BKU leader said, “People of Jind are revolutionaries, if they have said they won’t let ministers unfurl the national flag in their villages, then they won’t. What will the ministers do by hoisting flags? Let farmers do it on August 15.”
The BKU leader informed a ‘jatha’ of farmers from Moradabad, Hapur and Amroha will come to the protest site in Delhi and carry out a tractor parade on roads on August 15. “Next ‘jatha’ with tractors will come from Moradabad, Hapur and Amroha on August 14, and on August 15, they will unfurl the national flag here (protest site), followed by a tractor parade on roads: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait,” he added.
Earlier, on January 26, protesters broke barricades to enter New Delhi and clashed with police in several parts of the national capital during the ‘tractor rally’ protest organised by farmers.
The protestors had also entered the iconic Mughal era monument Red Fort and unfurled their flags from its ramparts.
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains. (ANI)