Rakesh Tikait, the leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), has said that on August 7, farmers will launch a campaign against the new Agnipath military recruitment scheme of the Centre.
On Wednesday, Tikait stated the "fight with the Central government and the Uttar Pradesh government" over the matter has yet to start while speaking to a group of farmers in the Tikri neighborhood of the Baghpat district in western Uttar Pradesh.
The BKU national spokesperson announced that the campaign against the Agnipath scheme will start on August 7 and last for more than a week to gather the support of the farming community.
In addition, he claimed that following significant protests in recent years, old police cases against farmers were being reopened in an effort to intimidate them.
"When the BJP's government was formed in Uttar Pradesh, the cases against BJP members were closed. So, either they should be prepared for cases or we are ready for a movement, "added Tikait.
He further added that "Those in Lucknow and Delhi should listen to this carefully. You can break political parties; you can dissociate leaders of farmers' groups but cannot break the farmers. Farmers will protest against you (the two governments). "
Tikait addressed the crowd of hundreds of farmers and also brought up difficulties with land acquisition, power pricing, and unpaid sugarcane dues among others.
The farmer leader rose to national prominence during the 2020-21 protests in Delhi against the now-repealed central farm laws.
