Bhartiya Kisan Union national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait hardened his stand on the farmer-protests and announced that the farmer-unions are prepared to sit out for many more months.

Tikait was reacting to the heavy barricading with concretes, spikes & wires besides deployment of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) that has encircled all major protest sites, including Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur.

Also See: Overview of the Farmers’ unions in the protests

Tikait stated, “These wires have come up to stop the ‘kisan’ from his ‘roti’. Tomorrow, our cultivation will be behind the same wires to help the corporates. This is a fortification done on behalf of the King. I want to say from this stage that our call remains the same. ‘Bill wapsi to ghar wapsi’; pplease make preparations to stay here till October.” The BKU leader also clarified that Singhu remained the main centre of the protest.

“There is a lot of speculation. People are saying that Ghazipur is the main centre now,” Tikait said addressing the crowd.

He further added, “It is all false. We are part of the 40-odd farm unions. Singhu was the main centre and remains the main centre. We all are in this together and I lean on everybody, including Joginder Singh Ugrahanji, for counsel.”

Also See: An overview of Farmers’ protests-role of Charan Singh

Farmer union leaders have also announced a nationwide ‘chakka jam’ for three hours on February 6, calling for the blockade of state and national highways to protest against the suspension of internet and heavy barricading at agitation spots and to push for their demands on the repeal of three farm laws passed by Centre in September. Balbir Singh Rajewal, farmer-leader of SKM, had said that the meeting among the farmer-leaders involved discussion on arrest and harassment of young farmers by police.