Calling the farmers of Jind (Haryana) as revolutionaries, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday hailed their decision of carrying out a tractor parade in protest against the Centre's farm laws on Independence Day.
Addressing media near a protest site in Delhi, Mr Tikait said carrying out a tractor rally is not a "bad thing", and driving tractors with a national flag will increase the spirit of nationalism in people.
"Carrying out tractor rally is not a bad thing. People of Jind (Haryana) are revolutionaries. They've taken the right decision of carrying out the tractor parade on August 15. I don't know what Samyukt Kisan Morcha will decide...It will be a moment of pride to see the tractor parade with national flags mounted on them. It builds a spirit of nationalism."
Calling on the Haryana government to let the farmers hoist the flag in Jind on Independence Day, the BKU leader said, "If they have said they won't let ministers unfurl the national flag in their villages, then they won't. What will the ministers do by hoisting flags? Let the farmers do it on August 15."
Mr Tikait informed a "jatha" of farmers from Moradabad, Hapur and Amroha will come to the protest site in Delhi and carry out a tractor parade on the roads on August 15.
"Next "jatha" with tractors will come from Moradabad, Hapur and Amroha on August 14, and on August 15, they will unfurl the national flag here (protest site), followed by a tractor parade on the roads," he added.
Earlier, on January 26, protesters broke barricades to enter New Delhi and clashed with police in several parts of the national capital during the "tractor rally" protest organised by farmers. They had also entered the iconic Mughal-era Red Fort and unfurled their flags from its ramparts.
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.
