Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait speaking during the Kisan Mahapanchayat on the completion of one year of the farmers’ movement.
Highlight
- Government of India should improve its method and bring law on MSP: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait
- “26th January (Republic Day) is not far, and 4 lakh tractors and farmers are all there”
- Tikait also demanded that financial assistance should be given to the families of the farmers killed in protest against the agriculture law.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday warned the central government to mend its ways and bring a law guaranteeing the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Taking a dig at the Modi-led government at the mahapanchayat at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, Tikait reminded that ‘Republic Day is not far’ and 4 lakh farmers are on all borders.
He accused the Modi-led central government of running away from the debate on the issue.
“The Center should bring a law to guarantee MSP to farmers. There are many issues related to agriculture and labor sectors which need attention and we will travel across the country to highlight them,” he said.
Tikait also demanded that the kin of farmers killed in the year-long protest against the Centre’s three agricultural marketing laws be given financial assistance.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the government’s decision to repeal three agriculture laws that were at the center of farmers’ protests.
Many farmers were camping at the borders of Delhi since November 2020 demanding the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Farmer Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Price Assurance and Agricultural Services Act, 2020. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 should be withdrawn and a new law should be made to guarantee MSP on crops.
The Centre, which held several rounds of talks with the protesting farmers, said the law was pro-farmer, while the protesters claimed that they would be left at the mercy of corporations because of the law.
(with inputs from agencies)
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