BKU leader Rakesh Tikait defies SC order, says 'you will see a big tractor rally on January 26' if farm laws not repealed

NEW DELHI: Farmer union leader Rakesh Tikait has once again warned that the farmers will continue their protest against the Centre’s three contentious farm laws and threatened to take out a big tractor rally alongside the Republic Day Parade on January 26 if their demands are not met.

“Farmers will continue their protest against the farm laws until they are repealed. If our demands are not met, you will see a big tractor rally alongside the Republic Day Parade on January 26,’’ Tikait said.

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait reiterated that the farmers will not go back till the government withdraws the laws, saying they are ready to extend their protest till 2024.

Tikait, however, said that the farmers will continue their ongoing talks with the government on Friday. “It is our strategy. The Republic Day Parade will take place on January 26, but if the three laws are not withdrawn, we will take out a big tractor march. The more the government addresses us as terrorists, our protest will become stronger than ever,’’ the BKU leader warned.

“Let the Supreme Court order come on Monday. Will talk on Monday,’’ he said.

“We went to Maharashtra, now we will go to Odisha, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh to mobilise support for farmers. We will run campaigns across the country. On the January 23, we will stage protests outside the offices of the Governors of various states,’’ he added.

His remarks came days after the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the farm laws until further orders and formed a four-member committee to listen to the farmers' grievances and resolve the matter.

SA Bobde. A three-judge bench, headed by the CJI, heard a batch of petitions, including those filed by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva, RJD MP Manoj K Jha, regarding the constitutional validity of three farm laws, passed by the Central government, and the plea to disperse protesting farmers.

"We are forming a committee so that we have a clearer picture. We don't want to hear arguments that farmers will not go to the committee. We are looking to solve the problem. If you (farmers) want to agitate indefinitely, you can do so," CJI Bobde said.

"We are concerned about the validity of the laws and also about protecting the life and property of citizens affected by protests. We are trying to solve the problem in accordance with the powers we have. One of the powers we have is to suspend the legislation and make a committee," he said.

Reacting to the SC order, Tikait then said that the unions will study the court's order to decide further course of action and issue a statement after conducting a meeting with the core committee and the legal team.

Tikait also said that the tractor rally will continue as per the plan on January 26 and the farmers will not leave the borders. "Implementation of the three laws stayed until further orders," said Chief Justice of India 

"This committee will be for us. All of you people who are expected to solve the issue will go before this committee. It will not pass an order or punish you, it will only submit a report to us... The committee is part of the judicial process in this case. We are planning to suspend the laws but not indefinitely," he added.