‘Batoge toh Lutoge’: Tikait calls for farmers’ unity

Karnal : As Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s fast-unto-death entered the 21st day, Samyukta Kisan Morcha leader Rakesh Tikait on Monday again called for unity of farmers’ groups for a joint fight, saying “batoge toh lutoge”.

Tikait also expressed concern over Dallewal’s health.

On Monday, farmers at some places in Haryana including Ambala, Sonipat and Hisar took out a tractor march in support of farmers’ protesting at Khanau-ri and Shambhu border points and expressed concern over Dallewal’s health.

As part of their ongoing stir at Shambhu and Khanauri, farmer leader from Punjab, Sarwan Singh Pandher had on Saturday said a tractor march will be taken out in states except Punjab on December 16 while ‘rail roko’ protest will be held on December 18 from 12 to 3 pm in Punjab.

Meanwhile, Tikait, who met Dallewal at Khanauri last week, while speaking to reporters here on Monday, stressed that farmers’ groups will have to “stick to-gether” for a joint fight in support of their demands, saying “Batoge toh lutoge, sabko Ikkhate rehna padega”.

Pandher on Sunday said he has written to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to join hands with the farmers protesting at Punjab-Haryana border points over their various demands, including a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops. Ad-dressing the media at the Shambhu border on Sunday, Pandher said, “We have extended our hands to those brothers who could not participate in the Delhi andolan-2 (Delhi Chalo march). We asked them to forget whatever dif-ferences (the unions have) in the interests of farmers and labourers.”

“We have written a letter to our brothers. We expect a positive message from them (SKM),” he further said.

When asked about the letter, Tikait, who is also national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, said, “we have been saying for the past six to ten months that all should sit together and talk”.

Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kis-an Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the ‘Delhi Chalo march’ and have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Harya-na since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forc-es.

Tikait felt giving “Delhi Chalo” call by individual outfits, be that of Punjab, Raja-sthan or UP, won’t bring in the desired result till all farmers’ groups join hands and formulate a strategy. When asked, according to him, what shape the agi-tation is taking on Shambhu and Khanauri borders, Tikait alleged it suits the Centre as the protest is happening inside AAP-ruled Punjab and confined there. He said farmers’ demands are old as they were during the stir against now repealed farm laws which include legal guarantee to MSP and implemen-tation of the Swaminathan committee report. When asked that the Haryana government says they are giving MSP on 24 crops, Tikait alleged, “the BJP government is expert at telling lies”.