After the successful passage of farmers’ three-hour chakka jam at state and national highways on Saturday, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said farmers protesting the agriculture laws will not return home till their demands are met, and will not be pressured into holding talks with the centre. Addressing the farmers he also added that the protest would extend till October 2 and that the centre had till that date to repeal the laws, failing which the farmer groups agitating against the laws would plan further protests at Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border.
“We won’t return home unless our demands are met. We have given time to the government till October 2 to repeal the laws. After this, we will do further planning. We won’t hold discussions with the government under pressure,” Mr Tikait said.
Farmers across several parts of the country held a chakka jam today with highways across northern states, including the Eastern Peripheral Expressway around Delhi were blocked in a peaceful protest. Roads were blocked at 33 places in 15 districts, including Sangrur, Bathinda and Barnala in Punjab.
Farmers and their tractors camped across highways in large numbers, however, while the roads were blocked for regular travellers, videos also showed farmers quickly moving barricades aside and allowing ambulances and emergency vehicles past with minimum fuss.
