Ongole: Modi fears military coup, says BKU leader Tikait

Ongole: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Singh Tikait on Sunday said that the much-hyped Gujarat model development is nothing but the grabbing the agricultural lands of people by the corporate companies and added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fears a possible military coup, as 37 per cent of personnel in the Indian army are from Punjab and he is worried of their support to the farmers' agitation.

He said the agitation by the farmers in Delhi is not just for the resolution of problems related to them, but it is a people's movement for redressal of issues related to the farmers, workers, employees, soldiers and overall the common people in the country.

The Andhra Pradesh Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a coordination committee of farmers' organisations and public fronts and others organised a Karshak Karmik Maha Panchayat in ABM College Grounds in Ongole on Monday.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Singh Tikait, AIKSCC president Ashok Dhawale, All India Kisan Sabha Punjab president Balkaran Singh Brar, All Indian Agriculture Workers Union president B Venkat, All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha general secretary Ashok Ghayal and members from other organisations also participated in the programme as the convenor of the AP Samyukt Kisan Morcha Vadde Sobhanadriswara Rao presided over the Maha Panchayat while the district convener of AIKSCC Chunduri Rangarao welcomed and introduced the guests to the public.

Speaking at the meeting, chief guest Rakesh Tikait said that the BJP or Narendra Modi is not ruling the country but the corporate companies are. He said that the people are being repeatedly cheated in the name of Gujarat model development, but the model is nothing but presenting the agriculture lands to the corporate companies.

He said that lakhs of farmers and women made the world wonder after they participated in the tractor rally held in Delhi on January 26, and since then Modi fears a possible military coup.

He claimed that 37 per cent of the Indian Army personnel are from Punjab, and the retired army men are in large numbers in the agitation. He said that the BJP is using caste, religion, region and even coronavirus to weaken the farmers' movement.

He said that while the farmers are continuing the agitation by adhering to the Covid control practices, Modi and others toured Bengal and other States to speak in the meetings gathering the public in large numbers.

He reiterated that the farmers are not going a step back until the government takes back the three new farm laws and added that it is a fight between the people of the country and the corporate companies and their supporting governments.

He wished the farmers in Andhra Pradesh also raises their voice against the issues and support the causes of the public.

The AIKS president Ashok Dhawale, Balkaran Singh Brar, Ashok Ghayal and other speakers said that about 375 farmers died in the caste, religion and region-free and secular agitation at the Delhi border bracing the hot days and cold nights.

They said that India reaches 94th position in the index of countries where people are scarce of food. They praised the LDF government in Kerala for providing more MSP to paddy and 14 other fruits and vegetables than the price offered by the Union government.

They expressed anger on the Union governments for not implementing the Swaminathan Commission recommendations for the last 16 years. They demanded the government not to privatise the public sector units and reopen the shutdown industries.

The farmers conducted a rally in the town before the commencement of the meeting and the guests inaugurated the Mandi, Market and Modi book from the dais.

The farmers leaders and trade unions leaders from the State including Ravula Venkaiah, Yerneni Nagendranath, Chunchu Seshaiah, V Srinivasa Rao, Jetti Gurunatha Rao, V Hanumareddy, C Kotiredy, V Rajagopala Reddy, Sd Sardar, Srinivasa Reddy, and others also participated in the programme