The Quint visited the Ghazipur border protest site to speak to farmer leader Rakesh Tikait about reports suggesting that farmers have started leaving the protest site, after the Supreme Court observed that "farmers have the right to protest but they cannot keep roads blocked indefinitely”.
On being asked if farmers are leaving the site, Tikait told The Quint, “Farmers are here only, nobody is leaving. We don’t know who is or isn’t running Twitter.”
Holding a paint brush, Tikait 'agreed' with the Supreme Court about the problems with long blockades but said that they haven’t blocked the routes and pointed to police barricades, with “Modi Sarkar rasta kholo” written on them and stated that they are responsible for the blocked roads.
Referring to their own tents being removed, “11 months ago when we came here, we came to go to Delhi, but we were stopped. Now we are sitting here.” He added the farmers will see whether they can go to Delhi only once the barricades are removed.
On being asked if to deliver the message to the government, controversies are necessary, Tikait said, “No. We are only looking for a solution. From struggle to solution, our agitation will continue.”
Tikait further lashed out on the Central government saying, “Sarkar kedi hai, maan nahi rahi. (The government is stubborn, they’re not agreeing to our demands.)”
Farmers protesting against the farm laws introduced by the Centre had gathered at the borders of the national capital in November 2020, and have been protesting on the highways as part of their resistance since then.
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