Farmers Postpone Tractor March To January 7

FILE PHOTO: Farmers rest inside a tractor trolley at the site of a protest against farm bills at the Delhi-UP border in Ghaziabad

Farmers on Tuesday announced that the tractor march would now take place on January 7, instead of today, as planned earlier. Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav said farmers protesting against the new farm laws will take out a tractor march on January 7 at four borders of Delhi, in what would be a glimpse of what has been planned for Republic Day if the new laws are not rolled back.

“We have decided that on January 7, we will take out a tractor march at four borders of Delhi, including Eastern and Western peripheral. This will be a trailer for what lies ahead on January 26,” said Yadav.

On Monday, the seventh round of talks between farmer leaders and the government failed to resolve the deadlock as the Centre continued to rule out the possibility of repealing the three new farm laws, adding that it can look into any clause the farmers had issues with. Both sides had agreed to continue with talks on January 8.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said on Monday that until the three contentious farm laws were withdrawn, the protesters will not be going home.

“Discussion took place on our demands — repeal of the three laws and MSP… Kanoon wapasi nahi, to ghar wapsi nahi (We will not go home until the laws are withdrawn),” he said as quoted by news agency ANI.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a platform of farm unions, had said on Saturday that thousands of farmers will drive into the Capital in their tractors to hold their own Republic Day parade if their demands are not met by January 26.

Farmers have time and again promised to intensify their protests if their demands are not met. “The government is saying 50% of the demands have been met. For us, 85% of the demands are left.The agitation will become more intense now,” said Darshan Pal, a senior leader of the agitation.

Yadav too echoed similar sentiments of intensifying protests as the next round of talks neared. “From tomorrow, for 2 weeks, ‘Desh Jagran Abhiyan’ will be started and protests will be deepened throughout the country,” Yadav was quoted as saying by ANI.