Ahmedabad: Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait threatened Monday to start a farmers’ tractor agitation in Gujarat after Delhi. Rakesh Tikait said time has come to gherao Gujarat capital Gandhinagar and also break barricades if needed. He was talking to reporters outside the ‘Sabarmati Ashram’ here. He claimed farmers in Gujarat were unhappy and suffering.
Hundreds of farmers have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year. They have demanded a repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce.
The protesting farmers took out a tractor rally January 26 in Delhi.
“Farmers will conduct an agitation in Gujarat using their tractors. Time has come to gherao Gandhinagar and block roads. If needed, we will have to break barricades too,” Tikait said.
The BKU leader is on a two-day tour of Gujarat since Sunday to campaign against the Centre’s three farm laws. On the second day of his visit, Tikait was accompanied by former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela.
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“Farmers are suffering because there is no agitation here. There is no backing from courts also. Farmers are compelled to say they are happy and are making profit. Please give us that technology which is helping Gujarat’s farmers to reap benefits,” thundered the BKU leader.
Tikait claimed farmers of Banaskantha are compelled to sell potatoes for Rs 3 per kilogram.
“Is that enough to make farmers happy? We have come here to remove fear from the minds of farmers. We will agitate in a peaceful manner,” Tikait said, when asked about his future plans for Gujarat.
Later, Tikait and Vaghela reached Karamsad town in Anand district and paid tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at his native place.