Rakesh Tikait   |  Photo Credit: ANI
New Delhi: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday announced a country-wide observance of ‘Virodh Diwas’ on Monday over farm issues.
Alleging betrayal by the Centre, Tikait claimed that over-a-year-long protest at Delhi’s borders was withdrawn on the basis of a letter of promises by the government on December 9 but those promises remain unfulfilled.
“A nation-wide ‘Betrayal Day’ will be observed on January 31 because of the government’s betrayal to farmers. The movement was suspended on the basis of a letter given by the government on December 9 but those promises have not been fulfilled,” Tikait tweeted.
Issuing a statement, SKM said that all the farm unions associated with the Morcha will observe this protest with great fervour. It is expected that this programme will be organised in at least 500 districts of the country.
“In the protest demonstrations on January 31, a memorandum will also be submitted to the Union government. The preparation for this programme was reviewed during the meeting,” the statement said.
The SKM took the decision to observe January 31 as ‘Virodh Diwas’ in its review meeting held on January 15 with farmers claiming that the government has handed them deceit.
No action has been taken in the last two weeks on the promise of immediate withdrawal of cases filed against the protesters, or on compensation to the families of the martyrs who died during the yearlong agitation, the SKM said and also lashed out at the Modi government for not announcing the formation of a committee on the issue of MSP either.
Farmers started their protest on Delhi’s borders under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) in November 2020 demanding withdrawal of three contentious farm laws that were introduced by the BJP-led Centre.
In a major U-turn, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2021 announced that the contentious farm laws would be rolled back, leading to the protestors eventually vacating Delhi borders in December.