Asserting that the farmers' agitation against the three new farm laws shall continue until the Central government fulfills their demands, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Arajnaitik) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said that the farmers will not leave the Delhi borders till "they emerge victorious".
Addressing a Kisan Mahapanchayat here today organized by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, Tikait said, "We take a pledge that we will not leave the protest site there (at Delhi's borders) even if our graveyard is made there. We will lay down our lives if needed, but will not leave the protest site until we emerge victorious."
"When the Government of India will invite us for talks, we will go. But, the farmers' agitation will continue until the Government fulfill our demands. The struggle for Independence continued for 90 years. This agitation, it seems, will also go on for long," said the BKU (Arajnaitik) leader.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar stated that 25 companies of PSC and 20 officers under the Meerut zone were deployed in view of the mahapanchayat.
"We've assured all arrangements. 25 companies of PSC and 20 officers under the Meerut zone have been deployed. We issued traffic alerts for the smooth movement of traffic. We are monitoring the situation," said ADG Kumar.
"Appropriate arrangements have been made in view of the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday to ensure that no law and order problem arises. There is a possibility of farmers from neighbouring states Haryana, Punjab, and Uttarakhand also attending the gathering," Director General of Police Mukul Goel told reporters.
While speaking to ANI, a farmer from Haryana who had come to participate in the mahapanchayat, said, "Our Prime Minister has no respect for the farmers. What type of king is Modi Ji if he is making the farmers sit in the winter? "
A woman farmer present at the mahapanchayat said, "We have gathered here demanding repeal of the three farm laws. We request the PM to take back the three laws."
The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha's 'Kishan Mahapanchayat' was held at the Government Inter College grounds in Muzaffarnagar.
A woman farmer from the Jind district of Haryana said, "We have gathered here demanding repeal of the three farm laws. We request the PM to take back the three laws."
The farmers have been demanding the repeal of the laws which they are afraid will do away with the MSP system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.
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.
( With inputs from ANI )
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