Ahead of UP polls, Rakesh Tikait piles up pressure on government through social media

BATHINDA: Even though the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha(SKM) has not yet chalked out the action plan for poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, senior farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has started toughening his stand against the Union government.
Western UP farmers have taken active in farmers protests ever since the protest began late November last year. Tikait, a leader from the area, is leading the agitation.
It has been reported that the anger of farmers could cost BJP politically in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Many from the Jat community, including Tikait himself, voted for the BJP in the previous election.
Tikait is not only raising his voice at the protest sites but is also taking to social media.
In two tweets in last two days, Rakesh Tikait has asked the farmers to get ready for further protests as this government is not ready to listen to them.

In a tweet on Monday, Tikait said "either the farmers and the public will survive or this government will survive". He further said the voice of the farmers is not going to be suppressed by false cases.
In another tweet, Tikait alludes to the government's reluctance to agree to their demands and asks farmers to be prepared with tractors.

In another tweet, the farmer leader tells the government to stop thinking that the farmers will go back.
"The central government should remove this misconception from its mind that the farmer will go back. The farmer will go back only when the demands are met. We demand that all three laws be repealed. A law should be made on MSP," said Tikait on Twitter in Hindi.
Tikait is learnt to have toughened his stand against Centre after Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar reiterated in clear terms that the farm laws will not be repealed. He however said the government is ready for talks with farmers at any given point of time if they come with a proposal which does not involve repeal of the law.
It was Tikait whose tears at Ghazipur border turned the tables on the government and revitalised the movement, as the protest lost some support after the violent Republic Day parade in which some protestors climbed atop the Red fort.