Rakesh Tikait slams govt, says farmers would observe 'Betrayal Day' on Monday

Alleging betrayal by the Centre, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday announced a country-wide observance of "Betrayal Day" on Monday over farm issues.

The national spokesperson of the influential north Indian farmers' union claimed the over-a-year-long protest at Delhi's borders was withdrawn on the basis of a letter of promises by the government on December 9 but those remain unfulfilled.

"A nation-wide 'Betrayal Day' will be observed on January 31 because of the government's betrayal to farmers. The movement was suspended on the basis of a letter given by the government on December 9 but those promises have not been fulfilled," Tikait, whose BKU is a part of the SKM, said in a tweet in Hindi.

The protest on Delhi's borders had started under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a farmers' collective, in November 2020 over the main demands of withdrawal of three contentious farm laws that were introduced by the BJP-led Centre.

The farmers, who occupied key border points of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur for over a year, also demanded a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) of crops.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in November 2021 announced that the contentious farm laws would be rolled back, leading to the protestors eventually vacating Delhi borders in December.