With the farmers’ protest completing its 100 days at Delhi's borders on Saturday last, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait has appealed to the farmers to follow the formula ‘1V-1T-15M-10D’ - one village, one tractor, 15 men for 10 days - to strengthen the movement. BKU has directed its cadre in every district to implement the plan with one of its senior members saying the formula will help farmers to continue the protest for years.
Tikait's formula would also ensure a large number of farmers to participate in the stir and then return to their villages for farming, BKU leader Dharmendra Malik said. Malik claimed that leaders of farmers' groups are constantly urging the government for renewal of the stalled talks, but the government is not interested. "It seems the government wants to prolong the farmers' agitation and tire them out," he added.
BKU’s state president Rajveer Singh Jadoun said, “Rakesh Tikait has come up with a formula to strengthen and continue the movement. As part of this formula, 15 people from every village should stay at the protest venue for10 days and then the next lot of 15 should replace them. The first lot of protesters can return home and tend to the fields. The formula will enable farmers to continue the protest for several years."
BKU Agra district president Rajveer Lawaniya said, “Kisan panchayats are being held in different parts of the district to chalk out plans to implement the formula." So far, 11 rounds of talks between the government and farmers' unions have remained inconclusive. "Let us also see till when does the government keep testing us," Malik said.
Tikait has been stating in 'kisan mahapanchayats' that if the Centre does not repeal the contentious new agri laws, farmers will bring in 40,00,000 tractors to Delhi and lay siege to the Parliament complex. “Harvest your crops and keep your tractors ready. Call for a ‘Delhi march’ can be given anytime now,” Tikait had said at a 'mahapanchayat' in Agra on February 24.
