Farmers Delhi Chalo protest: Why Rakesh Tikait is absent at main protest today?

In light of the 'Delhi Chalo' protest march, authorities have heightened security measures at the city's border areas by deploying multiple layers of barricades, concrete barriers, iron spikes, and container walls.

Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, with over 200 unions heading, are marching towards Delhi on Tuesday.

Earlier, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha declared that over 200 farmer unions will mobilize towards Delhi to urge the government to fulfil their demands, such as implementing legislation to ensure a minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce. 

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In the midst of renewed calls for protest, the notable absence of farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has drawn attention. Tikait played a pivotal role in the 2020 farmers' protest, which ultimately pressured the government to repeal three contentious farm laws.

However, significant shifts have occurred within the farmers' unions since then. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha and Bharatiya Kisan Union, which were instrumental in leading the 2020 protest, are not prominently featured at the forefront of the current movement.

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday joined the demonstrators in Greater Noida, where his Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) members have been staging protests outside the local authority office.

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However, in a press conference, the General Secretary of BKU, Harinder Singh Lakhowal stated that while they do not endorse the decision of farmer organizations associated with the SKM (non-political) to march to Delhi on February 13 but also warned that if the farmers face manhandling, then all the farmer organizations will unitedly come out on the streets to render support.

However, BKU Lakhowal leaders have said that their plan for the 'Gramin Bharat Bandh' protest is scheduled for February 16. The call for the Gramin Bharat Bandh has been issued by various organizations, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), to emphasize their outstanding demands for the agricultural sector.

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Besides farmers' groups, traders and transporters have also been asked to support the cause and observe a work strike that day, said Tikait, the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU).

"We have called for a 'Bharat bandh' on February 16. Several farmers' groups are part of it, including the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM). Farmers should also not go to their farms on that day and strike work. Earlier also farmers skipped the day of 'Amavasya' from working on the fields. Likewise, February 16 is 'Amavasya' only for farmers. They should not work that day and resort to 'agriculture strike'. This will send a big message in the country," he told reporters in Muzaffarnagar.

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"We are also appealing to traders (for support) and people should also not make any purchase that day. We appeal to shopkeepers to keep their shops closed in support of the farmers and labourers," he said.

(With inputs from ANI)