Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday said that demands for law on MSP, implementation of Swaminathan Committee report and debt waiver concern all farmers and they support farmers who have embarked on 'Delhi Chalo' protest over these issues.
"MSP guarantee law and Swaminathan Committee report, Electricity amendment bill and debt waiver are the issues of the farmers across the country. There are several farmer unions and they have different issues. If the government creates a problem for these farmers who are marching towards Delhi, we are not far from them. We are in support of them," Tikait told ANI. He said the price of produce is not increasing according to the rise in input costs and accused the government of steps which are not in interest of farmers. He also said that farmers are apprehensive of their land going in the hands of corporates. Asked about reports of Congress and other opposition parties supporting the farmers, Tikait said, "no one is supporting anyone, they are farmers...weak opposition gives birth to dictatorship," he said. Meanwhile, the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border witnessed chaotic scenes on Tuesday as the protesting farmers marching towards Delhi attempted to break police barricades. Farmers were seen attempting to remove the cement barricade with their tractors as they tried to cross the Shambhu border. The police fired tear gas to disperse the protestors at Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border as they tried to breach the mutli-layered barricades. Security measures have been taken on Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Samyukta Kisan Morch (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are part of the protest over their demands. Tikait said SKM has announced Gramin Bharat Bandh on February 16. (ANI)
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