New Delhi. Kisan Andolan leader Rakesh Tikait has again asked the government to withdraw all three agricultural laws. Tikait said that the agitating farmers would not agree to less than this. He said that the farmers’ agitation would continue till their demands were not met. Let us tell you that Tikait’s statement has come after the appeal of Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in which he urged to end the movement. The Agriculture Minister had said on Thursday that the procurement system on Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC) and Minimum Support Price (MSP) will continue and it will be strengthened further.
Tikait said that ‘the government is talking about talks but is placing a condition on that too. This will not work. Modification will not work. All three laws have to be withdrawn. Tikait claimed that ‘we have never refused to talk, we are sitting here. He said that ‘during the Parliament session, 200 of our people will sit outside the Parliament daily.’ On the Union Minister’s claim of selling food grains at MSP, Tikait said- ‘Talking about MSP, where is food grains being sold at MSP today?’
The aim is to make farmers prosperous by increasing their income- Tomar
Earlier on Thursday, Tomar, while answering a question, said, ‘Through you, I want to appeal to the farmer organizations to seriously consider these issues and end the protests. They should adopt the path of dialogue and the government is ready for talks. Tomar said, ‘There was an apprehension that the MSP would be scrapped. However, ever since the farmers’ protest started, the procurement of pulses and oilseeds along with food grains has increased. The Agriculture Minister said that the continuous efforts of the government are aimed at making farmers prosperous by increasing their income.
Tomar said, ‘Agriculture laws were a big step in this direction. I believe that farmer organizations should understand their benefits in time. The whole country is understanding the benefits of these laws. The minister said that he has told the protesting farmers’ organizations several times that the government is ready to discuss other proposals instead of repealing the laws.
“As far as farmers’ protest is concerned, we have always shown sensitivity. Modi government has always respected farmers. Tomar said that after today’s decision of the cabinet on APMC, farmer organizations should believe that APMC will not end. “There is no such provision in the laws (to abolish the APMC). APMCs are established under the laws of the state.
