With context to the ongoing farmers' protests, Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav has now said that on January 7 (Thursday), a tractor march will be taken out at the four borders of Delhi, including at the Eastern and Western peripherals.
He added, perhaps with a hint of contempt, that this will merely be "a trailer for what lies ahead on January 26".
"We have decided that on January 7, we will take out tractor march at four borders of Delhi including Eastern and Western peripheral. This will be a trailer for what lies ahead on January 26," news agency ANI quoted Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav as saying.
'Tractor parade' on Republic Day
In some ways, this is indeed meant to be precursor for the 'tractor parade', scheduled to be conducted by the agitating farmers on Republic Day.
The farmers had earlier issued an "ultimatum" to the government ahead of the seventh round of talks, with the protesting unions saying that they will march into Delhi with a "tractor parade" on the Republic Day if their demands are not met.
Addressing a press conference last week, the union leaders had said the time has come for "decisive" action as their demands for a repeal of the three agri laws and a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) have not yet been addressed by the government.
"The farmers' movement delivered an ultimatum to the Government of India and announced that farmers will march into Delhi on January 26," Sankyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of around 40 protesting unions, said in a statement.
Calling the tractor march as 'Kisan Parade', farmer leader Darshan Pal Singh had said it will be held after the Republic Day parade.
Farmers resolute in demands
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at three Delhi border points --- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur -- for more than a month, pressing for a repeal of the three farm laws, a legal guarantee for minimum support price for their crops, besides two other demands.
They have said that if their demands are not met, thousands of farmers will have no option but to march towards Delhi with their tractors, trolleys and national flag on January 26.
Asked about the route and timing for their planed 'Kisan Parade', Pal said the unions will announce it later.
The tractor-march on Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) highway, on January 7 (Thursday) is therefore meant to be a "rehearsal" for their "January 26 tractor parade".
Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav said it is a "plain lie" that the government had accepted 50 percent of the farmers' demands. "We have got nothing on paper yet," he said.
"We were peaceful, are peaceful and will be peaceful, but will stay at Delhi borders until new farm laws are repealed," another farmer leader said.
Meanwhile, the seventh round of the ministerial-level talks between the farmers' leaders and the Central government on Monday failed to reach a consensus on Monday. The farmers' agitation on the borders of the national capital entered its 42nd day on Wednesday.
(With inputs from agencies)
