Govt has time till October, after that we will hold massive tractor rally: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

Ahead of the proposed ‘Bharat Bandh’ on February 6, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait has warned that the farmers protesting against the Centre’s farm laws will hold a massive tractor rally if the government does not concede to their key demands by October. “We have given the government time till October. If they do not listen to us, we will go on a pan-country tractor rally of 40 lakh tractors,” Rakesh Tikait, BKU leader, said.

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the proposed ‘Bharat Bandh’ on February 6, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait has warned that the farmers protesting against the Centre’s farm laws will hold a massive tractor rally if the government does not concede to their key demands by October   

“We have given the government time till October. If they do not listen to us, we will go on a pan-country tractor rally of 40 lakh tractors,” Rakesh Tikait, BKU leader, said. He said this after meeting Agriculture Minister of Jharkhand, Badal Patralekh, at the Ghazipur border.

We have given the govt time till October. If they do not listen to us, we will go on a pan-country tractor rally of 40 lakh tractors: Rakesh Tikait, BKU leader https://t.co/NFt3m5yrwa pic.twitter.com/VA0v9HC6CB — ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2021

After his meeting with Tikait, Badal Patralekh said, “We support the farmers' movement from the beginning. I'm here to convey my moral support. Delhi Police are puppets of the central govt." 

Delhi: Agriculture Minister of Jharkhand, Badal Patralekh, visits Ghazipur border and meets BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

"We support the farmers' movement from the beginning. I'm here to convey my moral support. Delhi police are puppets of the central govt," he(Badal Patralekh) says pic.twitter.com/87OVfvEK4x — ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2021

Continued internet suspension in areas on Delhi's outskirts, barricading and installation of barbed wires around protest sites by the Centre will not create a conducive atmosphere for talks over contentious new laws, a farmer leader had warned on Tuesday.

Joginder Singh Ugraha of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers unions protesting farm laws, said this at Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border where he reached with hundreds of supporters to meet Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait.

On the other hand, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said there should not be disruption in proceedings during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address and asserted that the government is ready to give all answers on issues concerning farmers. 

He said a lot of issues can be taken up during the motion of thanks to the President’s address and opposition parties can raise the issues of farmers there."I said this at the floor of the House as well. When the (debate) on the motion of thanks to the President's Address is going on, disruption should not happen. It has never happened till now. After the President’s address, the House should first have a discussion of the motion of thanks to the President’s address. The next thing can be taken up after that," Joshi said.

Urging opposition parties, especially Congress, to not disrupt question hour and proceedings of the House, he said a variety of issues can be taken up during the motion of thanks to the President's address.

“Opposition can raise the issues of farmers there. We are ready to give more time for discussion. Government is ready to give answers, but have a discussion," the Minister said. "No government has worked for farmers as the present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi," he added.

The minister said Question Hour was not taken up during the monsoon session because it was a new experience in the conditions created by COVID-19. "In September it was our first experience of holding a session in the aftermath of COVID-19. We did not keep the Question Hour after talking to everyone but they said that the suspension of Question Hour is the murder of democracy. This time we have Question Hour and they are not letting that happen from day one," he said. 

Lok Sabha witnessed three adjournments today following the opposition`s protests against the new farm laws as the House briefly took up discussion on the motion of thanks to the President`s address.