Claiming that the Centre’s silence for the past few days implies that it is planning something against the farmers protest over the new farm laws, stressing that it is the government that will have to initiate a proposal for talks to resume negotiating with the protesting farmers.
Before leaving for Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar on Sunday night, Tikait told reporters in Bijnor's Afzalgarh, "The government's silence for the past 15-20 days is indicating that something is going to happen. The government is planning some steps against the agitation."
Reiterating that farmers will not step back until their demands are addressed properly, Tikait said, "The farmer is also ready. He will look after his crop as well as the agitation. Let the government hold talks when it has the time.”
Farmers' "mahapanchayats" will be held at several places in the country till March 24, added Tikait.
Also Read: Farmers announce series of Mahapanchayats in different states from Feb 28 to March 22
When asked about the violence during a tractor parade on Republic Day in New Delhi, he alleged that the government created the trouble.
On the issue of farmers destroying their standing crop at different places, Tikait said the BKU has told farmers that the time for such action has not come yet. He asked why the government is not appealing to the farmers not to take such steps.
Warning that the farmers will intensify their agitation if the wheat crop is not sold on the minimum support price (MSP) in Uttar Pradesh, the farmer leader said the farmers will carry out dharnas outside district headquarters across the state.