Haryana: BKU statewide tractor march on August 13

On the nationwide call of the SKM, members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) are gearing up for the proposed tractor march at district and block levels across the state on August 13.

BKU president Rattan Mann and other office-bearers are visiting villages to garner support for the tractor marches, which aims to press for key demands, including a law guaranteeing MSP, a farm debt waiver, a halt to the installation of smart meters on domestic power supply, and opposition to the implementation of the land pooling policy.

Carrying the Tiranga atop tractors, their protest would be similar to the Quit India Movement, Mann said, adding that they would launch the ‘Corporate Bharat Chhodo’ campaign. Lakhs of tractors would roll out on roads across every state in the country, he stated.

Addressing farmers at Sarfabad, Kheda, and Sohana villages in Karnal district on Sunday, Mann urged them to participate in the protest in large numbers.

Farmer leader Mahatab Kadian said since their demands had not been accepted for a long time, farmers had no option but to protest. After the three farm laws were repealed by PM Narendra Modi following a year-long protest at the Delhi borders, the farmers were promised a law guaranteeing MSP, but nothing had been done.

Farmer activists Shyam Singh Mann, Surender Sagwan, and Sardar Sahab Singh Bajwa announced that at the district headquarters, the farmers would intensify their protest against corporate control over agriculture. In Karnal, the march would start from Jat Dharamshala and end at the Mini Secretariat, where they would burn effigies of US President Donald Trump and Modi.

“Farmers will also hand over a memorandum to the DC for the President of India in support of our demands,” said Shyam Singh Mann.

Highlighting other demands, state president Mann said the government should compensate farmers for paddy crop losses caused by the dwarf disease. He also said tractors over 10 years old should not be banned in the NCR.

In Rewari, the BKU would take out a tractor March at Bawal town.