Alwar: During a Mahapanchayat held in Alwar, Rajasthan on Saturday, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait issued a warning that if the Brij Mandal Yatra is organized again in Nuh, farmers would launch a tractor rally.
According to media reports, representatives from Farmers' groups and 36 communities from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan came together at the Barodameo Sheetal Mahapanchayat in Alwar on Saturday. Rakesh Tikait emphasized that if the state government allowed the right-wing outfits to proceed with their call for another yatra in Nuh, lakhs of tractors would hit the streets in protest.
During the meeting, farmers pointed out that Mewat has historically been a peaceful region and attributed the recent riots on July 31 to "anti-social elements." The violence erupted after a mob targeted participants of the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra, leading to a clash. The tension had been escalating due to provocative posts on social media in the days leading up to the event.
Rakesh Tikait, addressing the Kisan Bhaichara Mahapanchayat organized by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, stated, "If the Haryana government permits the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh on August 28, we will organize a tractor rally. The exact dates for the rally will be decided in the upcoming panchayat."
Although right-wing outfits announced that the yatra would take place on August 28, official permission has not yet been granted.
Tikait criticized the ruling party's approach, saying, "The leader's strategy is to incite conflicts and govern through division. We should educate our children and encourage them to seek employment instead of involving them in riots. We are all Hindus, but there are two kinds: those operating from Nagpur and those who take pride in being Indians and reject violence."
Rajaram Meel, the BKU's state president for Rajasthan, affirmed the farmers' commitment to maintaining peace in Mewat, stating, "We reject violence, and if anyone attempts to provoke violence in Nuh-Mewat, you will witness lakhs of tractors flooding the streets." The Mahapanchayat also had the presence of Satyapal Malik, former governor of J&K, Bihar, Goa, and Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, farmers reiterated their demands, including the establishment of the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP), which aims to interlink the Parvati, Kali Sindh, and Chambal rivers. They also emphasized the need for a fair minimum support price for farmers. The gathering expressed opposition to the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, perceiving the project as detrimental to farmers' interests due to what they termed "arbitrary" land acquisition.