Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday said that the protesting farmers would not undergo Covid-19 testing and should not be compelled to get themselves vaccinated either.
“Covid-19 is a disease and if anyone at the protest sites develops any symptoms, he can go for testing on his own to the hospital. The government will not be allowed to test the farmers at the protesting sites,” said Tikait while talking to the mediapesons in Sirsa and Hisar on Friday.
He alleged that the BJP government is trying to crush the farmers’ movement in the garb of COVID-19 pandemic.
Haryana Home-cum-Health Minister Anil Vij had recently announced to conduct COVID-19 test and vaccinate all agitating farmers sitting on a dharna at state’s border with Delhi. The decision was taken in view of sharp surge in infections in NCR region including Gurugram, Sonipat and Faridabad districts.
Hundreds of farmers from northern states of Punjab and Haryana have been camping at Haryana’s borders with Delhi at Singhu and Tikri for over five months now, demanding a repeal of the three agriculture reform laws enacted by the Centre in September last year.
Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farm unions that is spearheading the agitation, had met officials of the Haryana Government on Thursday evening over the issue of COVID-19 testing, vaccine and hindrances faced in medical supplies due to ongoing protest.
Recently, the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had also made several appeals to the farmers to end their agitation in view of COVID-19 pandemic. However the farmers’ leaders have outrightly rejected his appeal
Responding to the appeal made by the Chief Minister, Tikait said that the farmers will continue their peaceful protest.
We have decided to postpone the Sansad March in view of COVID-triggered restrictions but will continue our protest, he said.
The farmers will also continue to hold protest against the leaders of BJP and its allies, he added.
On talks with the Central Government, the farmer leader said that we also want to hold talks on the issue but would continue the agitation till our demands are met.
A farmers’ delegation led by Tikait on Friday also met former Chief Minister and INLD chief OP Chautala in Sirsa and discussed the issue of ongoing farmers’ agitation.
Meanwhile, Haryana BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni also said that protesting farmers should not be compelled to get themselves tested or vaccinated.
If any government or health worker tries to force them to get tested or vaccinate, they will not be allowed to enter protest sites, said Chaduni, adding that testing or vaccination should be left to farmers’ choice.
Farmers are sitting on a dharna for five months now. Not even a single farmer has died due to COVID at protest sites.
Many farmers have died during the protest so far due to various reasons, but none of the deceased died due to the COVID infection, he claimed.