Express News Service
NEW DELHI: With farm agitation entering its 73rd day at the Ghazipur border, farmer leader and Bhartiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait is not ready to budge but move ahead. Talking to Siddhanta Mishra, Tikait said he is planning to attend more meetings and grow the agitation across the country
What is the way forward for the farmer agitation?In the next few days, we will expand the reach of our agitation and will visit programmes in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. The protest will continue from here and I will visit other places as well. We are getting support from everywhere and will continue our agitation till the farm laws are taken back.
When is the next meeting with the government?The government has to tell. We are ready for talks like the way they used to happen earlier. We have a committee and system in place for scheduling talks. If they get the proposal, talks will take place.
PM Modi recently said he is just a phone call away?Formal talks do not happen like this. The Centre very well knows how to communicate to us and our unions.
You are becoming the face of the agitation. How big is this responsibility?I am a nobody. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha is the face of this protest and the entire farming community is to be given credit for this agitation. Our main stage and our main council is at Singhu border. Everything is happening under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha. The Ghazipur protest is a part of that.
Was there a ‘Jawan vs Kisan’ situation at some instances during protest?Both are the same. ‘Jawan’ comes from ‘Kisan’. A soldier guards country’s border, a farmer guards their farmlands. Both are in tandem.
