200 farmers will march towards Parliament daily to submit demand letter: BKU

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait has threatened with dire consequences if demand to repeal the farm laws are not accepted by the government. He said that 200 farmers will march to the Parliament daily from July 22 and submit their demand letter to the BJP MPs. The BKU is leading the farmers' protest against the three farm bills since November at the Ghazipur border in Delhi,

He said that a Kisan Mahapanchayat will be called in Muzaffarnagar on September 5 to chalk out strategy to kickstart a campaign against the BJP in the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

"Starting July 22, 200 farmers from Singhu border will daily march to the Parliament. They will submit demand letter to the BJP MPs and urge the non-BJP MPs to oppose the farm bills," Tikait said.

The outfit has also demanded DTC buses from the Delhi government for the movement of farmers.

“The future strategy of the farmers' movement would be chalked out at the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar on September 5. Also, a campaign against the BJP will start from Muzaffarnagar in the run up to the Assembly polls," he said.

The BKU has said that government has made it clear that the bills will not be withdrawn but the doors are open for talks. The government has already announced its decision and therefore, there is no meaning of holding talks.

“The agitation will continue.. for a year or two," BKU spokesperson has said.

Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh have been protesting against 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. They have alleged that these laws will end the mandi and MSP procurement systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates, even as the government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced. The government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the protest.

Talks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26. Notably, the Supreme Court has already put on hold the implementation of the laws till further orders and has set up a committee to find solutions, and it has already submitted its report.