Rakesh Tikait: Farmers' protest to continue until Govt fulfils demands

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday said that the government is not agreeing to the farmers' demands, and asserted that the 'farmers' movement' will continue until their demands are met. "In a democratic country, the government is not agreeing with the farmers, but the movement will continue until the government fulfils their demands," Tikait said in a tweet in Hindi.

Ahead of the planned protest of the farmers outside Parliament on July 22, Tikait had on Wednesday said the protest would be ''peaceful' despite the country witnessing violence on Republic Day when protestors reached Red Fort as a part of their 'tractor rally' protest.

The protest will be held between the scheduled dates of the monsoon session, which is said to commence on July 19 and conclude by August 13.

"It will be a peaceful protest. We will sit outside the Parliament while proceedings will continue in the House," Tikait said.

He further said 200 people will go to the Parliament via bus. "We will pay the fare of the bus," added the BKU leader.

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.