Though the government has presented multiple offers in front of the protesting farmers, with the last one being the suspension of the farm laws for 1.5 years, the farmers, however, are not in favour of anything less than the repletion of the three farm laws, which organizations like IMF and even the USA have lauded.
As the government continues to stay firm on its plans to bring the new laws, the farmers at Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri borders have called for a nationwide ‘chakka jam’ on Saturday. The rally, as per the farmers, is against the internet ban and against the Budget 2021, which, they believe, didn’t address their ‘demands’ (which tbh is singular).
Here is everything that you need to know about the ‘nation-wide’ Chakka Jam on February 6.
Rakesh Tikait, who has his presence currently at the Ghazipur border, said that the Chakka Jam will not happen in Delhi but in other parts of the National Capital Region. With other parts, he meant Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, and the rest of the country.
#BREAKING | High-level meeting in Parliament ahead of Chakka Jam. India Today’s @kamaljitsandhu shares the latest updates#Delhi #ChakkaJam pic.twitter.com/CvUsbkm2N0
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) February 4, 2021
“Dilli mein hum nahi kar rahe, wahan to raja ne khud qile-bandi kar li hai humare jaam karne ki zaroorat hi nahi hai,” he said.
To note is the fact that when the last time farmer leaders called for Bharat Bandh, it didn’t receive much attention.
Timing
Tikait added that the Chakka Jam will start at 12 PM on Feb 6 and will continue till 3 PM. “There will be a three-hour blockade on roads. It won’t happen in Delhi but other parts of the country. The vehicles which will come and stop will be given water and food. Items like ‘chana’ and peanuts will also be distributed to these people and we will apprise them of what the government is doing with us.”
Trains diverted, borders shut
Meanwhile, as the farmers prepare for the protest, the government has also beefed up the security to ensure no such January 26 like violence is possible. Other than literally fortifying the borders around Delhi, by putting multi-layer barricades, cement barricades, nails and more, the trains are also being diverted to prevent the farmers from reaching the protest sites.
Recently, after Delhi police sought to reposition the nails fixed on the roads, Tikait said, “The farmers will pull out all iron nails of the government, and also pull out those fixed at protest sites one by one”.
“Chakka Jam” To Be Pan India Except Delhi: Farmer Leader Rakesh Tikait https://t.co/c0uVXXjJdn pic.twitter.com/D9Ghy27TEG
— NDTV News feed (@ndtvfeed) February 4, 2021
On future talks
Recently, the Prime Minister of India, himself has called the farmers to come and talk with the government and get their issues addressed. But the farm leaders are firm that they want the government to first release the people that the police have arrested post the January 26 violence.
Ironically, these are the same farm leaders who were earlier asking the government to arrest the culprits who had caused havoc at Red Fort on Republic Day.
Take a look at these ground reports & the top reactions on the ‘chakka jam’ call by the protesting farmers. pic.twitter.com/dWpgkSvsFk
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 3, 2021
Bharatiya Kisan Sangh to not join Chakka Jam
Meanwhile, the RSS-affiliated outfit, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) has said that it will not support the nationwide ‘chakka jam’ on February 6. BKS, however, also added that it still doesn’t support the three farm laws and wants them to go through some “improvements”.
“We are not supporting the ‘Bharat Bandh’ but we don’t endorse the three laws in toto,” Mahesh Choudhari, BKS organisation secretary for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, had said earlier.
