Rakesh Tikait said farmers need to protest against privatisation of Public Sector Undertakings (File)
Amid the protest by farmers at the borders of Delhi against the three central farm laws, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait urged farmers in Karnataka to organise a protest in the state similar to the one in the national capital and gherao Bengaluru from all sides.
Addressing a farmers' meeting in Karnataka's Shivamogga on Saturday, Rakesh Tikait said a strategy has been made to snatch land away from farmers in the state.
"There are lakhs of people gheraoing Delhi. This fight will go on for long. We need to start such protest in every city until these three black laws are taken back and a law is not brought on the Minimum Support Price (MSP). You need to run a protest in Karnataka. A strategy has been made to snatch away your land. Big companies will do the farming... Labour laws have been amended to employ cheap labour," the BKU leader said.
"You need to make a "Delhi" in Bengaluru. You need to gherao Bengaluru (like Delhi) from all sides and people will come and join your protest... The Prime Minister said farmers can sell crops anywhere so you take your crops to offices of District Collector, sub-divisional magistrate and if the police stop you, ask them to buy crops on MSP," Mr Tikait said.
The BKU leader said farmers need to protest against the Centre's decision of privatising Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
"If this (farmers') agitation is not held, then the country will be sold and you will lose your land in the next 20 years. You need to protest against these companies. Around 26 major PSUs are in process of privatisation. We need to take a pledge to stop this sale. We need to protest against this," he said.
Farmers have been protesting at the different border of Delhi since November 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.
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