Rakesh Tikait, the leader of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), slammed the government on Monday, accusing it of attempting to divide farmers and warning that until it talks to them about their problems, “we are not going away.”
The farmer leader further stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should respond to the demand for a law ensuring the Minimum Support Price (MSP), which he had “supported” as chief minister.
“It took us a year to persuade them to see things our way. We spoke in our own language, while those in Delhi’s gleaming bungalows spoke in a different dialect “Addressing a mahapanchayat convened by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, Mr Tikait remarked (SKM).
“They realised after a year that the laws were damaging and repealed them. They did the right thing by repealing the restrictions, but they sought to split farmers by claiming that they failed to explain the laws to certain individuals. We are a few individuals “Mr. Tikait said.
He was alluding to Prime Minister Modi’s apologies when he announced on Friday that the three central agriculture regulations that the Samyukta Kisan Morcha was protesting will be repealed.
Mr Tikait said that the government, not the farmers, had proclaimed a “sangharsh-vishram” (ceasefire), and that the peasants face several challenges.
“The battle will rage on. We will not go away till the government talks to farmers about the issues that affect them. Meetings will be organised around the country, and we will inform the general public about your efforts “he stated.
After nearly a dozen rounds of talks failed to break the deadlock, talks between the government and the agitating unions over the three farm laws stalled in January.
“They will tie you all in Hindu-Muslim, Hindu-Sikh, and Jinnah and will keep selling the nation,” Mr Tikait added, urging people to join the farmers’ protest.
Despite the government’s retreat, farmer unions stated on Sunday that they will continue their strike until it begins negotiations with them on their remaining six demands, which include a legislation guaranteeing MSP and the arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra.
Mr Tikait disputed the allegation that a committee has been formed for MSP, saying that farmers will not achieve the correct pricing for their goods by making an apology, but by defining a policy.
He said that as Gujarat’s chief minister, PM Modi was a member of a group that recommended to then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that a legislation ensuring MSP be passed.
“This committee’s report is kept at the PMO. There is no need for a new committee, and the country has more time “Mr. Tikait explained.
“Provide a clear answer,” he continued, “the prime minister will have to give a clear answer before the public if he would accept the proposal of the committee on MSP guarantee bill that he was a member of.”
He then went after the media, claiming that they had only been asking farmers for the past three days.
“We have a number of concerns, including the matter of the farmers who died as a result of the agitation,” he stated.
The dismissal of proceedings against farmers, the construction of a memorial for protestors who died during the agitation, and the withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill are among the requests stated by SKM.
