Protesting farmers should be given COVID-19 vaccine: Rakesh Tikait

Farmers Protest: While coronavirus cases have been rising in several states across the country, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Thursday said that the Central government should open a COVID-19 vaccination centre at the protest sites and that the protesting farmers should be given the COVID-19 vaccine. "We demand that farmers who have been protesting here should be given the COVID-19 vaccine. I will also take the vaccine shot," said Rakesh Tikait at the Gazipur border. Also Read | Coronavirus Punjab: Captain Amarinder Singh announces revised timings for night curfew He said that while India was witnessing a coronavirus spike, "we will follow Covid related guidelines". Even as he said that they will follow social distancing. The government should vaccinate farmers at the protest sites, he said. However, he also said that "we won't end the farmers' protest because of Covid-19 fear. Also Read | Has PM Narendra Modi directed all states to cancel exams? Even as he said that the size of the tents would be increased in an order to maintain social distancing. The protest is for a cause and it will continue this till the farm laws get repealed, he said. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged chief ministers to act fast against the emerging "second peak" of the coronavirus pandemic. "If we do not stop this now, a nationwide outbreak can occur". Click here to follow PTC News on Twitter. -PTC News