The stand of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which has been standing in front of the central and state government for more than a year against agricultural laws, seems to be softening now. BKU President Naresh Tikait has advised the farmers and their workers not to hold dharna-demonstration over petty issues and resolve the issues by negotiating with the district administration wherever necessary. Naresh Tikait, who had appealed for votes for the Samajwadi Party alliance during the UP assembly elections, also said that people are inclined towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and they can vote for whomever they want.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Naresh Tikait said, “We tell the farmers union and our office bearers that do not protest without any reason, do not waste time, nothing is the issue. Sit together and talk to the district administration, rather than protesting on small matters anywhere, blocking the road. We will also pay attention. We felt a sense of discipline. The allegations against the farmers union that they lack discipline. We’ll see too. Nothing can happen without discipline. Whatever will happen. It will be resolved through talks, there should be no conflict situation anywhere. It is a very big organization. We also want to use the public as a pawn somewhere.
#WATCH I want to tell our office bearers not to sit on dharnas & waste time. No use…Sit with district admin & discuss, instead of jamming roads on trivial matters. We’ll look into bringing discipline… Farmers’ (issue)a small one, not so big…:BKU’s Naresh Tikait in UP (25.4) pic.twitter.com/rlSWash1Qy
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) April 26, 2022
Now the Kisan Union will not agitate for its demands? When asked, Naresh Tikait said, “Which is a small thing, make a big movement on it. Spending farmers’ power, wasting time. We will look at whether the solution is through dialogue. It is a small matter of farmers, some big thing is a little. Whatever the government accepts, it is not a problem, it is about electricity, electricity, crops somewhere.” After a year of agitation, did the government agree? On being asked, Naresh Tikait said, “Come on, it was a matter of the center, it was a movement of the whole country.”
We are neither sad nor happy: Tikait
Naresh Tikait said on the formation of BJP government in 4 states despite the farmers’ movement, “People are inclined towards BJP, so what can we do. It is their choice that whomever they want to vote for, they can give. We are neither happy nor sad about this. This is a free country. Rakesh Tikait, his brother and the face of the farmers’ movement, also kept on making silent appeals for the victory of the SP alliance. He openly opposed the BJP.