Big Announcement: Rakesh Tikait says agitation to continue till farm laws are repealed

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced the repeal of the three controversial farm laws that caused massive protests by sections of farmers across the country, Rakesh Tikait, national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, leading the farmers’ movement took to Twitter to give his first reaction.

The farmer leader tweeted that the agitation will not be withdrawn immediately and that they would wait for the day when agricultural laws will be repealed in Parliament. He added that along with the MSP, the government should also discuss other issues of farmers.

PM Modi while making the announcement said, “Our government has taken the decision to repeal the three farm laws. Today is Guru Purab, I request farmers to please return to your family. Let’s start afresh.”

On the other hand, the leaders of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) have welcomed this decision of the central government by issuing a statement. The SKM said that they would keep an eye on the repeal of this law in Parliament. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha also saids that our movement was not only an agitation against the new agricultural laws, but the demand for a statutory guarantee for the remunerative price of crops is still pending.

While agitating against the three controversial farm laws, the farmers made three clear demands – the cancellation of three farm laws, legal assurance on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops, and continuation of the ongoing MSP scheme for wheat and paddy.

The question of a legal guarantee of MSP for all crops, however, continues to be the bone of contention. The government has not been willing to take direct responsibility for the same and farmers are not ready to pull back from protest sites without getting an assurance.