Future course of farmers' protest to be decided at today's meeting: Tikait

Farmers have been protesting against the farm laws on various borders of Delhi since Nov 26, 2020

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said the future course of farmers' agitation will be decided in the Samyukt Kisan Morcha meeting today.

"We will decide how the agitation should move forward and how the talks with the governments should go ahead," said Tikait.

"We will talk about what is going on. We will discuss how ongoing talks with the government are moving forward. Some people held discussions with the government yesterday, they have come from Haryana and they will share their experience," he added.

Raising the issue of shortage of fertilizers, Tikait said, "There is a shortage of fertilizer in the country. This will lead affect the production of crops. Then the government will have to import grains from other countries. The government should take responsibility if production decreases in the country. We have always asked the government to ensure the availability of fertilizers."

An official communication by the SKM on November 28 read, "Samyukt Kisan Morcha has decided to wait for the Government of India to respond formally and fully to all the demands raised by it in its letter to the Prime Minister of India on November 21. SKM decided to give more time to the Central Government by suspending the planned Tractor March to Sansad from November 29. Protesting farmers will take a decision on further action, in the next meeting fixed on December 4 of Samyukt Kisan Morcha."

Bharatiya Kisan Union national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on November 27 had said that SKM has given time till December 4 to the government to listen to the farmer's demands.

On November 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre will bring necessary bills in the Winter Session of Parliament beginning later this month to repeal the farm laws. The Prime Minister also said that the government will constitute a committee to work on a new framework for Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha passed the Farm Laws Repeal Bill on the first day of the winter session on November 29. President Ram Nath Kovind has also given his assent to the Bill that completes the process of repealing the three farm laws.

Farmers have been protesting against the farm laws on various borders of Delhi since November 26, 2020.