Farmers’ protest to gain momentum with Rakesh Tikait’s support at Punjab Haryana border

The farmers’ protest at the Punjab-Haryana border is set to intensify, with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and other major farmer organisations stepping in to back the agitation.

Rakesh Tikait, the BKU’s national spokesperson, has announced plans to visit the Khanauri border on Friday to meet Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a key farmer leader spearheading the protest. Tikait will be joined by Harinder Singh Lakhowal, chief of BKU-Lakhowal, and Ratanman, Haryana’s BKU state president.

This development marks a significant shift in the farmers protest. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and its affiliates, who had previously distanced themselves from the ongoing agitation, now face renewed interest from BKU’s involvement. The union’s support is expected to give fresh momentum to the farmers’ demands.

In a statement, the BKU reflected on the larger movement that forced the central government to repeal three controversial agricultural laws. “When the central government passed the three agricultural laws, farmers across the country united to oppose these ‘black laws.’ The year-long protest around Delhi compelled the government to withdraw them,” the statement said.

Earlier on Sunday (December 8), a group of 101 farmers tried to resume their march to Delhi from the Shambhu protest site on the Punjab-Haryana border, demanding a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and addressing other issues. However, farm leaders claimed that around nine farmers were injured during the clashes, following which they suspended their march